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Up Among the Ice Floes. 


Page 11 






Up pMONG 

THE 

ICE FLOES. 
















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Up Among the ice-floes. 


j. 



MACDONALD OXLEY, 

Author of “ Bert Lloyd s Boyhood” etc. 


if 


PHILADELPHIA : 

AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
1420 Chestnut Street. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1890, by the 
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



1 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CHAPTER I. 

About Two Ideas, 5 

CHAPTER II. 

Off for the North, 17 

CHAPTER III. 

A Peculiar Protege, 28 

CHAPTER IY. 

A Battle with the Ice, 40 

CHAPTER Y. 

At Nachyak, 52 

CHAPTER VI. 

On the Track of Henry Hudson, 65 

CHAPTER VII. 

Preparing for Action, 76 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Among the Monsters, 87 

CHAPTER IX. 

A Good Day’s Work, 98 

CHAPTER X. 

In Peril, 110 

3 


4 


CONTEXTS, 


PAGE 


CHAPTER XI. 

In Time— Thank God! 123 

CHAPTER XII. 

In Quiet Waters, 137 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Gathering Clouds, 150 

CHAPTER XIY. 

The Storm Breaks, 162 

CHAPTER XY. 

Due North, 175 

CHAPTER XYI. 

Into Winter Quarters, 188 

CHAPTER XYII. 

A Reindeer Hunt, 199 

CHAPTER XYIII. 

Esquimaux Experiences, 213 

CHAPTER XIX. 

An Arctic Winter, 226 

CHAPTER XX. 

Home Again 239 



UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


CHAPTER I. 

ABOUT TWO IDEAS. 

C APTAIN MARLING had an idea. So too had 
a sturdy boy fourteen years of age, brown of hair 
and eyes, and ruddy of cheek, who bore so strong a 
resemblance to the captain that you hardly needed to 
hear the latter call him, “Hal, my boy,” and to note 
the look of proud affection in his well-bronzed coun- 
tenance, to know whose son he was. The two were 
certainly very much alike both in appearance and in 
character. 

“ He’s a regular chip off the old block,” the cap- 
tain would sav when telling some incident that illus- 
trated Harold’s fearless spirit, or tenacity of purpose, 
two qualities that were a better inheritance for him thau 
stocks or mortgages. 

The affection felt by the two toward each other 
was of peculiar strength. Harold was an only child, 
and his mother had died when he was but a little 
fellow. 

He had been left to the care of a childless aunt, 

5 


6 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


who though affectionate and anxious enough, knew 
nothing about bov nature and failed entirely to under- 
stand her vigorous, enterprising charge. He therefore 
not only missed a mother’s sympathy and patience, but 
never came to feel at ease in his aunt’s house, every- 
thing there being too quiet and precise for his viva- 
cious ways. And so the brightest periods in his life 
were when his father would return from one of his 
long voyages, bringing with him wonderful gifts, and, 
what was still better, causing a temporary suspen- 
sion of the firm discipline that made his boy’s life 
unhappy. 

The advent of the captain wrought a remarkable 
change in Aunt Etter’s demure household. He was 
her brother, and they were the only remaining mem- 
bers of their family. They were, moreover, bound to 
each other by sharing in a common sorrow, for she had 
lost her husband not long before Harold became 
motherless ; and now her whole heart was fixed upon 
this burly brown-bearded man, who in his turn ex- 
hibited toward her an affectionate tenderness that 
was the joy of her life. 

Nothing that the captain would do was wrong in 
Aunt Etter’s eyes. No sanctuary was too sacred to be 
invaded by him. He might smoke in the usually silent 
shaded drawing room and not provoke a murmur. 
No rule of domestic discipline was regarded as bind- 
ing upon him. The meals were arranged at just what 
hour he pleased. The lights were burned as late as 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


7 


he liked, and altogether the frigid formal home life 
was completely broken up, and Harold felt like a 
prisoner happily released from confinement. 

It must not be wondered at, then, if Captain Mailing 
was more to Harold than an ordinary father, for he 
was a father, mother, benefactor and liberator all in 
one, and his son worshiped him as if he were nothing 
less than a demigod. 

Harold, on the other hand, received from his father 
not only his own share of love, but standing as it 
were in his mother’s place, had concentrated upon him- 
self the full power of the captain’s big heart; for he 
could hardly move or speak without suggesting the 
pretty, graceful woman who ten years before had 
passed gently away leaving him to Aunt Etter’s care. 

And so these two were all the world to each other, 
as the saying is, and now that Harold was making 
good progress through his teens, the captain found 
pleasure in laying before him his plans for the future 
as well as in relating the history of his last voyage. 
It was in this way that Harold came to know of the 
captain’s idea, and forthwith to entertain an idea of 
his own. 

Captain Mailing’s idea was a rather curious one, 
and marine circles at Halifax were much concerned 
about it. Such an enterprise had never been attempted 
by any “ Bluenose” before, and it was therefore, as a 
matter of course, pronounced quite preposterous and 
quixotic. Yet the captain did not look like a man 


8 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


who would hastily enter upon a wild-goose chase, 
neither did his past record afford much ground for 
the gossips and others to work upon. His reputation 
was that of a prudent and foreseeing, though enter- 
prising and daring man, and the almost uniform 
success that had attended his previous ventures, 
making him now at forty-five years of age a com- 
paratively wealthy man, showed clearly enough' that he 
usually knew very well what he was about. 

Nevertheless, in the face of all this, his friends 
laughed incredulously, or argued earnestly, and hi3 
enemies sneered contemptously, when Captain Marl i tig's 
idea was under discussion. But the captain minded 
neither the one nor the other. He was in the prime of 
life. Every faculty of mind and body was at its best. 
He had made ample provision for his boy in case of 
disaster falling upou himself, and now he proposed to 
indulge in the fulfillment of a desire that had been 
with him ever since he first took to the sea. 

Unlike many other sailors, he had always been fond 
of reading. His chest had never been without its 
well-thumbed volume, and somehow or other these 
books had generally related to the Arctic region. The 
moving stories of Sir John Franklin, of Dr. Kane, 
and Dr. Hayes, and of the earlier English explorers 
who had pitted their lives against the terrors of these 
“ thrilling regions of thick-ribbed ice” in brave en- 
deavor to pierce their mysteries, stirred his soul like 
trumpet blasts, and in his youth he had registered a 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


9 


vow to make at least one trip toward the Pole as soon 
as his circumstances would permit. 

That time had come at last. Voyaging north, 
south, east, and west, circumnavigating the globe over 
and over again, at first in the employ of others and 
latterly as his own employer and master, making 
money often where others entirely failed, his wealth 
had steadily increased, until he was able not only to 
put by as much as Harold ought to need, but to have 
left over more than enough to gratify his long-cher- 
ished ambition to try a tussle with the icebergs of the 
frozen North. 

At the same time he did not by any means propose 
to make his expedition purely a pleasure trip. He 
would combine business with pleasure, and to this end 
had determined upon taking a whaling vessel for his 
ship, and seeking to secure as many monsters of the " 
deep as would by their blubber and bone pay the ex- 
penses of the voyage at least. A shrewd, far-seeing 
man was Captain Marling, and much as his friends 
and acquaintances might laugh at his idea and strive 
to dissuade him from putting it into execution, he only 
laughed back at them saying, good-humoredly: “Have 
your sav, my friends, have your say. It relieves your 
mind and does not alter mine, so nobody’s the worse. 
I’m going up North whether you be true or false 
prophets. 

Aunt Etter was at first in a quite pathetic state of 
mental bewilderment. She had such unqualified faith 


10 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


in her brother that she could hardly conceive of his do- 
ing anything foolish ; and yet between her own vague 
exaggerated notions about the Arctic regions, which she 
imagined had a huge polar bear on every pinnacle of 
ice, and mighty whales, wicked sword fish, and fierce 
walrus as thick as sheep in a pasture, and the ill-ad- 
vised gossip of her friends who poured into her ever- 
open ears all sorts of terrifying tales, she was wrought 
up to a state of nervous excitement that it required all 
the captain’s address and firmness to keep her in 
check ; and only after much argument and persuasion 
was she finally induced to set her mind at rest, and 
cease worrying. 

The captain’s idea in brief was as follows : He had 
purchased in Dundee, Scotland, a fine steam whaler 
with all her equipments. He had also engaged a full 
complement of harpooners, boat steerers, and line 
managers, taking the utmost care to select men of 
good repute, and these with the engineers, carpenters, 
and ordinary seamen made up as fine a crew as he had 
ever had under him. His first mate and several of 
his crew were men who had sailed with him for 
years, being “Bluenoses” like himself; the remainder 
hailed from Dundee, coming over to Halifax in the 
ship. 

The arrival of the “ Narwhal ” at Halifax created 
no small ripple of excitement, and all day long the 
wharf to which she was moored received its stream of 
visitors, bent on examining as closely as they might be 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


11 


permitted the first steam whaler that had ever been in 
the port ; and the “ Narwhal” was well worth a visit. 
Solidly built of the very best materials, her bow 
sheathed with thick iron plates, and everything about 
her speaking of sturdy strength to resist the deadly 
embrace of the ice pack, or the cruel blow of the berg, 
she presented a very different appearance externally 
from the ordinary ship or steamer. Then in her 
cabins and her hold there was still more to interest the 
visitor. The long ranges of iron tanks, now filled to 
the brim with coal, but, if the fates were propitious, 
to overflow in due time with unctuous blubber ; the 
strong swift whaleboats carefully stowed amidships ; 
the arsenal of guns, harpoons, lances, and blubber 
spades, standing in their racks, polished to perfection, 
and ready for service at once should such a miracle 
happen as that a whale should make its appearance in 
Halifax Harbor ; the comfortable forecastle and cosy 
cabins, the powerful engines, well equal to the task of 
driving the “Narwhal” through opposing fields of ice 
— all these proved subjects of lively interest, and to no 
one more than the captain’s son. 

From the day the “Narwhal” steamed up the harbor, 
and glided into her berth at the wharf, Harold had 
foresworn all other amusements in her favor. Unless 
his father wished his company elsewhere, he spent all 
his free time on board the steamer, until presently 
there was not a nook or cranny of her hold or cabins 
that he had not explored, not a mast that he had not 


12 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


climbed, not a harpoon whose quality he had not 
tested, by the familiar process of breathing upon its 
polished surface. Being the captain’s son, the crew 
from the first mate down were naturally very good to 
him, and many a thrilling story he heard from Red 
Angus, the big harpooner, or from Colin, the boat 
steerer, of tough encounters with mighty whales, or 
sharp tussles with polar bears. And the more he saw 
and heard, the more his idea took possession of him 
until he became practically a boy of one idea. It was 
with him awake or asleep. It filled his dreams by 
night, and drove his lessons out of his head by day. 
Had he stopped to think about it, he w r ould certainly 
have said that his happiness depended entirely upon 
his being permitted to realize his dreams. 

But ah ! just there was the rub. The prospects of 
his having his wish were not at all bright, for both 
his father and aunt seemed strongly opposed to it. 
The grounds of Aunt Etter’s opposition were simple 
enough : 

“No, no, John. I can’t abide the thought of poor, 
little Harold going up amongst the whales and bears 
and Esquimaux. It’s all well enough for big men, 
but it’s not the place for boys. Why, John, I lie 
awake at night picturing to myself our darling boy 
frozen stark and stiff on an iceberg, or maybe torn to 
pieces by a polar bear, and it just puts me all of a 
quiver.” 

“ Oh, well, you needn’t take so gloomy a view of it 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


13 


as all that,” answered the captain, reassuringly. (t If 
lie came with us, I’d take good care that he was 
exposed to no needless risks. It’s not that I’m 
thinking of. But it seems to me a pity to take him 
away from school when he is doing so well there; aud 
there’s no telling how long we may be away. Per- 
haps only one year, perhaps two or even more ; and 
yet I must say it goes against my heart to refuse poor 
Hal. He seems so in earnest about wanting to come 
with us.” 

“ I trust, John, you have sufficient strength of 
mind not to allow Harold’s coaxings to change your 
opinion ” said Aunt Etter, rather stiffly, for she began 
to suspect her brother of showing some signs of 
wavering. 

Indeed, it was very hard for him to be firm and 
decided. From the first mention of his plan to 
Harold, the boy had pleaded to be permitted to 
accompany him, and after ^ the “Narwhal” arrived, 
and her many interesting features had been all ex- 
amined, Harold’s earnestness rose to fever pitch, until 
at length one day when the captain was feeling rather 
irritable, anyway, his son's importunities caused him 
to turn upon him sharply, saving : “ Now, Hal, 
that’s enough about it. Not another word, or I 
shall send you off to the country until the ‘ Nar- 
whal ’ has sailed.” 

Hal looked up at his father with an expression of 
surprise and pain that went right to the captain’s 


14 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


heart. His eves filled, his lip trembled. He seemed 
upon the point of bursting into a flood of tears. But 
by a noble effort he controlled himself, and with 
drooping head turned dejectedly away. Henceforth 
he said not another word about going in the steamer, 
but his sad face, his quiet ways, his failing appetite, 
showed plainly enough how deeply he felt. The 
captain did his best to cheer him up bv being 
boisterously cheerful, and seeking out all sorts of 
diversion for him ; while Aunt Etter nobly seconded 
his efforts by preparing toothsome dishes to tempt 
his indifferent appetite. But all to no purpose, for 
Harold refused to be comforted by such means. 

In the meantime the final preparations for the 
fitting out of the “ Narwhal” were going rapidly 
forward. Great stores of beef, pork, biscuits, flour, 
potted meats, canned vegetables, and other food 
sufficient for two whole years on full rations, were 
carefully stowed away ; the coal bunkers were gorged 
with black diamonds, and the blubber tanks filled 
with the same grimy material ; the water tanks one 
after another received their charge of precious fluid, 
and there was little left to be done. 

Still Harold opened not his' mouth. Day after day 
he went down to the steamer immediately he was free 
from school, and the kind hearted sailors who knew of 
Ids desire to go with them, and of his father’s refusal, 
tried to cheer him by telling him to “ Never mind ! ” 
the captain would take him next time for certain, and 


UP AMONG T1IE ICE-FLOES. 


15 


promising to bring him all sorts of trophies from the 
North, a young seal to pet, a walrus’ tusk, a bear’s 
paw, and so forth. Harold thoroughly appreciated 
their kindness, — although indeed it only added to 
his heartache, — and felt bound to seem somewhat 
brightened by it ; but all the same his eager longing 
lost none of its force. 

At length the day of departure drew near. On the 
morrow, if the weather were favorable, the “Narwhal” 
would set forth. Poor Harold moved about, the 
very picture of a disconsolate boy. He had two 
causes for being miserable. The parting with his 
father was always a great trial to him, and it seemed 
now particularly hard to bear when in all probability 
he would be longer away than ever before ; and then 
there was his own deep disappointment in addition. 
The last evening the little family of three sat down to 
tea together, Harold seemed unable -either to say a 
word or eat a bite, although the captain did his best 
to be tnerrv, and Aunt Etter spread the table with her 
most delicious dainties. Many a troubled glance did 
his father give him across the table, and more than 
once an expression of half-formed resolve flitted across 
his face, that might have given Harold some comfort 
could he have caught its meaning. 

Much earlier than his usual hour, Harold bade 
the captain an affectionate good-night and went off 
quietly to bed, his father saying as the door closed 
upon him : “ Poor little boy ! I hate to refuse him.” 


16 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Captain Marling remained talking with his sister 
until a late hour and then went off to his room. As 
he passed Harold’s door he could not resist the 
impulse to go in and take a look at his darling boy. 
Harold was asleep, but there were signs of recent 
tears upon his pale face, and lie stirred uneasily, like 
one whose slumber was far from sound. Never 
before had he seemed to the captain to look so much 
like his dead mother. The big, strong man fairly 
started at the striking resemblance. 

Presently Harold’s lips moved. His face took 
on an expression of passionate entreaty, and he 
murmured faintly, yet clearly enough to be heard : 

“Oh, father, please take me. I’ll be so obedient. 
Please, father, please do.” 

Then the light shining in his face awakened him, 
and his big brown eyes opened wide. In an instant 
he sprang up in his bed, threw his arms around his 
father’s neck, buried his face in the brown beard, 
and sobbed out, piteously : “ Take me with you, father. 
Take me with you, or it will break my heart.” 


CHAPTER II. 


OFF FOR THE IsORTH. 

H AROLD’S passionate appeal proved irresistible. 

Like a dyke that the sea lias undermined, the 
captain’s resolution had been weakening daily. Not 
only for Harold’s sake, but for his own, he longed to 
have the boy with him on the adventurous voyage he 
was about to undertake, and only the desire to keep 
him a little longer at his school, and the fear lest 
perhaps he was still too young to pass unscathed 
through the contaminating influences of shipboard 
life, had enabled him to stand firm hitherto. And 
now these defenses were swept away with a rush there 
was no withstanding. Clasping Harold tightly to his 
broad breast, he said, tenderly, “ You shall go, my 
dear boy. You shall go with me. I can’t go without 
you.” And his eyes glistened unmistakably as he 
spoke. 

Harold lifted his head, looked straight into his 
father’s eyes, while a look of inexpressible joy 
irradiated his face; and then, with a glad cry of “ You 
dear, dear father!” kissed the captain with all his 
might, and the covenant was sealed. 

Aunt Etter was of course greatly shocked when her 
brother announced his sudden change of mind in 
b 17 


18 


UP AMOtfG THE ICE-FLOES. 


reference to Harold. “ Really, John, ” she said, quite 
sternly, “ I gave you credit for more strength of 
mind. You know very well that it would be much 
better for Harold to remain with me here than to 
be thrown into association with the rough men on 
your steamer. And then just think of all the dangers 
to which he will be exposed ! — and he so young, and 
his education not complete? ” 

“Pitch into me as hard as you please, Martha; 
I dare say I deserve it. But I can’t help it, all 
the same,” replied the captain, good naturedly. “ The 
bov is dying to go, and I’m dying to have him, 
and that’s an end of it.” 

“ Well, John, of course you’re not bound to take my 
advice in the matter,” retorted Aunt Etter, “but 
if anything happens to Harold, my conscience shall be 
clear, at all events.” And having thus eased her 
mind, like the sensible woman she was, she said no 
more, but proceeded to get Harold’s outfit in readiness 
with as much zeal and loving thoughtfulness as if she 
heartily approved of his going. 

The sailing of the “Narwhal” was delayed for a day, 
in order that Harold might be properly supplied with 
everything he could possibly require in the way 
of clothing and comforts; and then at last, on the 
morning of the 2d of June, with the sun shining 
down from an unclouded sky, a gentle breeze rippling 
the blue bosom of the harbor, and Sam, the black 
cook, playing “ The girl I left behind me,” with 


UP AMCXSG THE ICE-FLOES. 


19 


the skill of a “Negro minstrel,” on a concertina, 
t lie “ Narwhal ” glided gracefully down the harbor, 
while Aunt Etter waved a last farewell from her 
cottage behind the Battery, with the white cloth 
snatched up from the breakfast table. 

As the throbbing engines drove the whaler onward 
with increasing speed, and the houses of Halifax 
lost their individual distinctness, and blended into 
one gray mass that climbed the hill from the har- 
bor to the citadel, Harold felt as if there could be 
no bounds to his delight. Never before in his life 
had he felt so happy. His father was too busy 
to give him any attention, but that didn’t matter, 
for he was just as busy himself. Now he would 
rush to the bow to watch the waves curling back in 
foam from the steamer’s iron prow; then he would 
dive down into the hot engine room to look at the 
movements of the mighty machinery, and next he 
would, with telescope at his eye, be trying to make 
out Aunt Etter’s trim cottage, and to see if she were 
still waving the white tablecloth. 

Straight out into the ocean went the “ Narwhal,” 
until having put a sufficient breadth of blue-green sea 
between herself and the rocky shore, she turned 
almost due north, and proceeded onward with the 
Nova Scotian coast at her left, and the great glori- 
ous ocean stretching awav indefinitely on her right. 
There was a fine fresh westerly breeze blowing, which 
increased in vigor as the morning moved toward 


20 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


niid-dav, and presently the “ Narwhal ” began to 
pitch and toss in a lively manner, to which Harold 
was not at all accustomed. He thought it very 
fine fun at first as the powerful steamer dipped and 
rose again with the lightness of a duck ; and standing 
by the taffrail, with the breeze doing its best to blow 
his cap off his head, he laughed for very joy. 

Ere long, however, he began to have a feeling inside 
as if he had eaten something at breakfast which 
had raised a row with his digestive apparatus. A 
most wretched sensation of squeamishness took pos- 
session of him, and he was glad to sit down upon 
the beach beside the cabin skylight, especially as his 
head was swimming in a very bewildering fashion. 
He did not feel exactly alarmed at his novel experi- 
ence, but he did feel very much provoked. All 
his spring and vigor seemed to have left him, and he 
became as limp and languid as a jelly-fish. What 
could be the matter? Was he really going to be ill, 
and that just at the beginning of the splendid time 
he hoped to have? The thought was dreadful, and 
he did so wish his father would come aloii£. But 
although he knew he could not be far away, he 
positively had not the strength to get up from his 
seat and call to him. After sitting there for he knew 
not how long, — it seemed like hours, it may have been 
only a few minutes, — his heart gave a bound of joy at 
hearing the captain’s strong voice shouting out : 
“ Hal, my boy, where are you?” With a great 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


21 


effort Harold rose from his seat, and revealed him- 
self. 

“Ah ! there you are,” cried the captain. “ Fve just 
been looking for you. First minute Fve had to spare 
since we started. But — hello! what’s the matter with 
you?” he exclaimed, as he noticed Harold’s pallid 
face and limp, forlorn appearance. 

Then suddenly, much to the surprise of the boy 
who expected his father to look very concerned and 
sympathizing, the bluff mariner burst into a laugh 
and threw himself down beside him, saying as he put 
his brawny arm affectionately about his shoulder : 
“ Ha ! ha ! my lad, and so you’re feeling rather 
miserable in your hold. Well, never mind. We’ve 
all been through it. Won’t do you a bit of harm. Be 
all right by to-morrow. Come, I’ll take you down to 
your berth. You’ll be more comfortable there.” 
And picking up the big bov as though he were a 
baby, the captain threw him gently over his broad 
shoulder, and carried him down to his snug cabin, 
where he stowed him away in his own berth. 

That was Harold’s first experience of sea sickness, 
and fortunately it did not last very long. He was a 
pretty wretched individual all that night, and not 
good for much the following day; but by the evening 
of the second day he had picked up a bit, and the 
morning found him as chipper as a sparrow, with 
a fine appetite for breakfast. 

Iu the meantime the “ Narwhal ” had ploughed her 


22 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


way past Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton, and across 
the great Gulf of St. Lawrence, and was now nearing 
the cruel coast of Newfoundland. She had not been 
making particularly rapid progress because the wind 
had been dead ahead, and Captain Marling did 
not think it worth while to expend a large quantity 
of coal for the sake of another knot or two an hour. 

So soon as Harold had his sea legs on, he proceeded 
to make a thorough examination of his surroundings. 
As regards cabin accommodations, he found himself 
exceedingly well provided for. The whole stern of 
the “ Narwhal ” was taken up with a large saloon 
surrounded by a number of staterooms, the saloon 
being lighted by a skylight, which made it very 
bright and airy. The largest and best stateroom was 
of course the captain’s, and it contained two berths, 
the upper being assigned to Harold, who therefore had 
the comfort of knowing that his father was sleeping 
beneath him and within easy reach. 

The captain’s cabin was somewhat larger than an 
ordinary stateroom, and fitted up with every possible 
convenience, no pains or money having been spared to 
make the “ Narwhal ” a comfortable home. Not even 
a bath had been forgotten, for what seemed like a 
luxurious arm chair proved, on being stripped of its 
trappings, to be a huge bath tub that would have con- 
tented any Jonathan or John Bull. There were chests 
of drawers, of rich dark mahogany with bright brass 
handles, set cunningly into the corners; there were 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


23 


racks of books fixed firmly upon the walls, and 
containing scores of volumes dealing principally with 
life and adventure upon the high seas, and up in the 
frozen North ; there were pictures, telescopes, guns, 
revolvers and hunting knives artistically arranged; 
and altogether it would have been a queer boy who 
after a good look at Captain Marling’s snug cabin did 
not at once pronounce it perfection. 

Harold had his own chest of drawers, his own book 
rack, on which his Bible, Robinson Crusoe, and other 
literary treasures stood in neat rows, and what pleased 
him even more, his own rifle and revolver, presented 
to him by his father on the day they left Halifax, 
with the promise that he would teach him to use them 
as soon as he had a little leisure. He was an intensely 
happy boy. The relief from the routine of school, 
and from the prim monotony of Aunt Etter’s house- 
hold, combined with the prospect of a long and 
adventurous voyage with his father, filled him to over- 
flowing with delight. Even while his sea sickness 
was at its worst he felt no inclination to turn back, 
although his father pretended to think he did, saying 
to him very seriously as the “ Narwhal ” was bowling 
merrily along : “ Pretty sick, my boy, aren’t you ? 
Would you like to go back ? Just say the word, 
you know, and I’ll run into Sydney and start you 
on vour way home.” 

Harold was too ill to enter into the spirit of a joke, 
but not too ill to raise himself up in his berth, and to 


24 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


reply, in a tone of indignant determination that 
was comically at variance with his pallid face : 
“ No, indeed, sir. You’ll do nothing of the kind. 
I’ll soon be all right.” And then, as exhausted 
by the effort he dropped back upon his pillow, the 
captain patted his forehead soothingly, saying : “ Of 
course, you will, Hal, my boy. You’ll be all right by 
to-morrow probably. I was only teasing you a bit.” 

The other staterooms that opened off from the 
saloon were occupied by the first and second mates, 
the first and second engineers, and the surgeon, 
and these gentlemen composed the captain’s mess. 
Harold soon made up his mind about each of them. 
Tiie first mate was, like Captain Marling, a Nova 
Scotian, a bluff old sea-dog, who was never content 
away from salt water, free from all family ties, and 
not showing much affection for anybody, save his 
captain, whom he served with a gruff fidelity that 
knew no wavering. His name was Peter Strum. 
The second mate presented a very striking contrast to 
his immediate superior, for he was young, handsome, 
dashing, and popular. To see Frank Lewis arrayed 
in his best shore-going clothes, sauntering along the 
main street of Halifax, you might easily have taken 
him for some dandy landsman who had somehow 
or other became very much tanned ; but the same 
Frank Lewis at sea in a howling gale, with a “ sou’- 
wester” tied tight upon his head and oil-skin coat 
buttoned close, was a very different being ; and despite 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


25 


all his clashing dandyism, at which old Strum was 
very fond of poking fun in his clumsy fashion, Frank 
had few superiors as a seaman. 

The engineers were Scotchmen, who had come out 
in the “Narwhal.” They were quiet, reserved men, 
whose hearts were on their work, and were very much 
attached to each other, seeming not to need any other 
society, although disposed to be sociable enough when 
Captain Marling or the others made advances to them. 
Their names were Donald Stewart and Archibald 
McMillan. 

Finally there was the surgeon, a high-spirited 
young fellow, fresh from college, and full of pleasure 
at the prospect before him. He had a brilliant record 
as a student, and his friends wondered very much that 
Earnest Linton did not at once settle down to practice. 
But he was in no hurry. He was both young and 
wealthy, and proposed to have a spice of adventure 
before settling down. Accordingly, no sooner had he 
heard of Captain Marlines project, than he at once 
offered himself as surgeon on a nominal salary, and 
was cordially accepted. He was a good-looking 
athletic chap, with a fine record for prowess on the sod 
and cinder path, and Harold fell in love with him 
most promptly. Frank Lewis would be his hero, but 
Dr. Linton would be his chum, and he felt very rich 
in his friends. 

While these necessary particulars have been getting 
themselves set down, the “Narwhal” has been steam- 


26 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ing onward past the Newfoundland coast, and by 
to-morrow morning will be in the harbor of St. John’s. 
It was a glorious evening, quiet and clear ; the sea was 
aflame with phosphorescence, and Harold, fascinated 
by the sight of waves of molten gold rolling back 
from the steamer’s prow, had been a long time at the 
bow, leaning over the gunwale. The deck was almost 
deserted, all being below in saloon and forecastle, 
except the lookout on the other side of the ship from 
Harold, and the second mate, pacing the poop with 
steady step and watchful eyes, whistling softly. The 
forehatch happened to be left open. It lay in the deep 
shadow cast by the funnel, and presently something 
strangely like a human head was lifted above the 
combing, a pair of keen, anxious eyes took a hasty 
glance about, and then the head disappeared. After a 
moment’s interval it was lifted again. This time it 
stayed longer, and the eyes caught sight of Harold’s 
form outlined against the bulwarks. The lookout 
changed his position a step or two, and instantly 
the head vanished. Once* more it was raised, and 
this time the coast seemed clear. The lookout w r as 
motionless, the mate was at the far stern, and only 
Harold was in sight. As silently as a snake a queer 
dark form crawled up from the hatchway and crept 
noiselessly toward the unconscious boy at the bul- 
warks. Skillfully keeping in the darkest shadows, it 
got right behind him, and then paused, for between 
him and it there was a broad band of moonlight it 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


27 


dared not cross. One, two, three, four, five minutes 
passed, and there was no further movement. Then 
Harold, saving aloud, “Dear me! time to go to 
bed,” turned away to go toward the cabin. In so 
doing he passed by the shadow wherein the mysteri- 
ous form cowered tremblingly. Then like a flash an 
arm was thrust out, and a thin hand was laid upon 
his arm, while a weak, pitiful voice said, in tones of 
agonized entreaty : “ For the love of God, sir ! ” 


CHAPTER III. 


A PECULIAR PROTEGE, 


ITH a great start of surprise Harold turned 



upon the speaker. He beheld before him, 
somewhat obscured bv the heavy shadows, a curious- 
looking being. It was a boy, seemingly of about his 
own age, but a difference of circumstance had wrought 
a wonderful difference of appearance. While Harold 
was ruddy of face and sturdy of figure, this poor 
creature was wan and pinched, with garments hanging 
about a frame that was not very much better than a 
skeleton. Yet his face was not unpleasing. Sharp 
and starved as it looked, its expression was in no wise 
vicious, and the passionate intensity of entreaty it now 
expressed would have touched a far harder heart than 
Harold’s. Noticing the latter’s hesitation, and fearing 
lest he should call out, this unexpected apparition made 
as though he would draw him back into the shadow, 
saying, in the same piteous tones : “ For the love of 
God, sir, listen to me.” 

“ What is it ? What do you want ? ” asked Harold, 
not unkindly, unconsciously yielding to the other’s 
influence, and stepping aside into the dark nook from 
which he had so suddenly emerged. 

“ Please, sir, I’m starving, and Pll die if I don’t 


28 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


29 


soou get a bite to eat. I’ve had nothing to eat but a 
bit of a loaf since we started,” answered the boy, whose 
whole appearance gave such strong support to his 
story. 

“ But who are you, and what are you doing here?” 
queried Harold, looking hard at him. 

“ Please, sir, mv name is Patsy Kelioe, and I’m a 
stowaway — that’s the truth of it, and it’s no use a 
denyin’ it.” And Patsy hung his head as if he dared 
not look his questioner in. the face. 

A stowaway ! The name touched Harold’s sym- 
pathies atouce, and made his heart beat more quickly. 
How often he had read about these dariug chaps who 
would hide away in dark noisome holds, and there 
endure all sorts of suffering until the time came to 
reveal themselves! But until now he had never seen 
one, and he regarded Patsy with a keen curiosity 
not unmingled with admiration. Quickly noting the 
friendliness of his look, Patsy spoke again : “ You 
won’t give me away, sir, will you?” 

“Give you away? How do you mean?” asked 
Hal, not quite understanding him. 

“You won’t tell the captain on me? He’ll put me 
off at St. John’s, if you do,” explaiued Patsy. 

“Why, the captain’s my father,” returned Hal, 
with a proud ring in his voice, “and he’ll let you stay 
if I ask him.” 

“Oh please, sir, don’t ask him, sir. He’ll put me 
off sure, if he finds me out. That’s the way they did 


30 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


with Teddy Shea only last summer, and he had to find 
his way back as best he could.” 

“Father's too kind to do that,” said Hal, confi- 
dently. “But, anyhow, I won’t tell him if you don’t 
want me to. What do you want of me now?” 

“ Won’t you please, sir, get me a bit to eat and then 
I’ll crawl back into the hold again.” 

“ But surely you won’t go down into that dark, 
dreadful place again !” exclaimed Hal, with a shudder. 

“ I will, please, sir, until the ship’s got past St. John’s, 
and then I’ll just take my chances with the captain.” 

“Well, stay here, till I get you something to eat, 
anyway,” said Hal, going off toward the cabin. 

He had the freedom of the ship, and no one ever 
thought of questioning his movements, so that it was 
easy for him to go into the steward’s pantry — which he 
was glad to find deserted — and take anything he pleased 
from it. Hastily filling two pockets with biscuits and 
snatching up a bone of ham that had a good deal ot 
meat still left upon it, he hastened back to the bow. 

Patsy’s eyes flashed at the sight of the ham and 
biscuits, and with a fervent “Lord love you, sir!” he 
proceeded to stow them awav as best he could in his 
tattered garments. It made Hal’s heart ache to see 
the poor little fellow’s trembling eagerness, and when 
he ventured one more request, he was only too glad to 
fulfill it. 

“ Could you get me a sup of water, sir? I’m pow- 
erful dry,” begged Patsy. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


31 


“ Of course I can,” responded Hal, promptly. He 
instantly thought of a tin can with a cover to it that 
lie had seen that evening in Sam’s galley, and went off 
after it. Sam was not present to protest, and securing 
the tin, Hal filled it full with water and returned to 
his newlv-found protege. 

“God bless your kind heart! It’s nothing dess than 
an angel that you are ! ” ejaculated Patsy. “And now, 
sir, I. must be after getting back to my place again.” 

In much perplexity Harold watched the dauntless 
little fellow disappear down the half-open hatchway 
as softly and silently as a shadow. He felt so sure of 
his father’s permitting the stowaway to remain on 
board that lie longed to run and tell him about Patsy. 
But Patsy had begged so hard for him not to do this 
until after the “Narwhal” had left St. John’s that to do 
so now would seem like breaking faith with him. Yet 
the thought of his passing another night, and perhaps 
even longer, in some dark corner among the casks and 
tanks, when he might be snugly eusconced in the fore- 
castle, was very repulsive. 

Harold longed to take counsel with some one. But 
in whom should he confide? He felt as though he 
did not know any of the men on board well enough 
yet to trust them with his secret. No ; if he could 
not tell it to his father he could not tell it to anybody, 
that was clear. And so, feeling that he had no small 
burden on his mind, he returned to the saloon, where 
his father hailed him with a cheery : “ Well, Hal, my 


32 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


bov; had enough star gazing? about time to turn in, 
isn’t it ? ” 

“ Fin just going, sir,” answered Harold. And bid- 
ding him “ good-night,” he was soon snug in his berth. 

But he was not soon asleep, for Patsy Kehoe kept 
him awake, and when, an hour later, the captain him- 
self turned in he was surprised to find his boy’s eyes 
still open. “ Hello, Hal, not asleep yet ? What are 
you thinking about ? ” he asked, in an affectionate 
tone. 

It was only by a great effort that Hal restrained 
himself from there and then making full confession. 
But he did manage to keep his counsel, replying 
brightly: “ Just been waiting for you, sir. I’ll soon 
go to sleep now.” 

Captain Marling threw himself into his berth, and 
presently his heavy breathing announced that he was 
off to slumber land. But Harold still stayed on this 
side the magic boundary. Two different thoughts 
were troubling his mind. He could not help thinking 
of poor little Patsy cowering comfortlessly somewhere 
in the forehold, while he nestled snugly in a luxurious 
berth; and then again he felt as though he were doing 
wrong in keeping Patsy’s presence a secret from his 
father, now sleeping so soundly just beneath him. At 
length, however, the long-delayed sleep came, and with 
it dream after dream, in every one of which Patsy 
figured. Now he was being ordered off the ship by 
Captain Marling, who looked dreadfully angry, and 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


33 


now he was in command himself and was ordering 
Captain Marling to do something; and so it went on, 
until morning came and found Harold not as much 
refreshed as he ought to have beeu by his night's 
rest. 

The “ Narwhal ” had reached St. John’s, and going on 
deck Harold saw round about him the towering cliffs 
of this famous harbor, and straight in front the 
amphitheatre of the city. Here they spent the day 
purchasing furs, adding some further supplies to their 
larder, and securing the addition to their crew of two 
experienced sailors — men thoroughly acquainted with 
the wild region for which they were destined. In the 
bustle and activity that filled the day, Harold quite 
forgot his prot6g6, and it was not until as the sun sank 
in the west the steamer turned awav from St. John’s, 
and passing out through the harbor’s narrow gateway 
began once more to toss about upon the Atlantic’s 
restless bosom, that he bethought himself of the boy 
in the forehold. When he did think of him, he was 
impatient for the time to come when he need be bur- 
dened with his secret no longer. 

The evening was fine and clear, the breeze fresh 
and favorable, and Captain Marling sent the steamer 
along almost at her best speed, while he stood on the 
bridge talking earnestly with one of the men who 
had joined them at St. John’s. He was evidently 
in excellent humor, for his hearty laugh could be 
heard now and then ringing out as the sealer would 
c 


34 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


say something that tickled his fancy. Harold noted 
all this, but still it would not do to interrupt him just 
then. 

The sun vanished, the stars came one by one into 
their places, the sailors put the ship iji order for the 
night, and then everybody went below except those 
whose duty it was to remain on deck. Captain 
Marling took the sealer down into the saloon to 
consult some charts with him, and all was quiet on 
board the “ Narwhal,” save the ceaseless throbbing 
of the engines, and the plashing of the waves that 
seemed to be vainly striving to oppose her onward 
progress. 

Now was the time for action. Going forward to 
the hatch, fortunately not yet battened down, Harold 
gently removed a section of the covering, and leaning 
over into the dark well, called out, softly : “ Patsv ! 
Patsy ! Come ! ” There was a stir somewhere over 
in a far corner, a whispered “I’m just a cornin’, sir,” 
and presently the thin sharp face was underneath 
Harold, and peering up eagerly at him. 

“ Come along, Patsy. Coast’s clear,” said Harold, 
in his most encouraging tone. 

Without a word, Patsy wriggled up on deck, and 
stood beside his friend. He was about as tall as 
Harold, but woefully thin, and evidently very weak, 
as genuine aii object of compassion as one could 
well imagine. Harold put his hand upon Patsy’s 
shoulder with a gesture of protection. “ Poor fellow ! 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 35 

you’ve Iiad a mighty hard time of it. But you’ll be 
all right before you’ve beeu a month with us.” 

Patsv looked up at him gratefully. “It’s sure I 
am that you’ll be kind to me, sir,” said he. 

“Oh, I won’t be the only one. Come along, now, 
and let father see you,” said Harold, moving off 
toward the cabin. Patsy hesitated a moment. He 
shrank from going into the presence of the big, bluff, 
strong-voiced captain, whom he had been watching 
for days at the wharf before he dared to stow 
away on board his steamer. But it had to be done. 
No matter what the captain might do to him, it could 
hardly be so bad as hiding in that horrid hold with 
his life in constant peril from hunger and thirst, 
not to mention the huge rats that ran over him in the 
darkness, and stole what little food he had, fighting 
fiercely together over it afterward. Then again 
he had the captain’s own son to plead for him, and 
surely that would count for a great deal. 

Strengthening himself by these reflections, Patsy 
followed Harold along the deck, and up the ladder to 
the poop. There they encountered the second mate, 
who was in charge of the steamer. 

“ What in thunder have you got there?” exclaimed 
Lewis, as they approached him. 

Harold held up his hands warningly. “Hush!” 
he said. “ Don’t say anything. It’s a poor little 
stowaway, and I’m going to take him down to 
father.” " 


36 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Lewis gave a long whistle. " Humph ! ” said he, 
“ I’m afraid he won’t get a very cordial reception 
there. The captain’s down on stowaways.” 

Poor Patsy gave an apprehensive shudder, but, 
quite undaunted, Harold answered, cheerfully : “ Oh, 
that’s all right. He won’t be down on this one.” 

“ Perhaps not. You’d better go down and see, 
anyway. He’s in a very good humor now too,” 
returned the mate. 

Although his heart was beating like a trip-hammer, 
Harold did his best to look very composed and at his 
ease as he entered the bright well-furnished saloon, 
which seemed like Paradise itself to the city waif 
following tremblingly in his footsteps. So close did 
Patsy keep to his protector that Captain Marling, 
who was at the other end of the saloon, did not 
notice him when he looked up, and said : “ Oh, 
Hal. I’m glad you’ve turned up. Come here and 
I’ll show you on this chart where the 1 Narwhal ’ 
is to go.” 

Harold turned first red, and then pale, and his 
voice had a tell-tale quiver in it as he stepped for- 
ward, and pointing to Patsy, now fully revealed in the 
bright light, said, in a tone of assumed gayety, "I’ve 
brought you another passenger, father.” 

Captain Marling sprang from his chair, a fiery 
flush suffused his face, and his eyes flashed angrily as 
he cried : What’s the meaning of this, boy? What 
trick have you been playing upon me ? ” 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


37 


The stowaway started as though he would have 
made for the door, but Harold caught him by the arm, 
and facing his father fearlessly, replied, in respectful 
tones, “ I’ve been playing you no trick, sir. If you 
ask Patsy he will tell you all about it.” 

“ Well, you know I don’t want any good-for-noth- 
ing wharf-rats on my steamer,” returned Captain 
Marling, in a somewhat milder tone. “ Come here, 
you,” looking crossly at Patsy, “and let me hear 
what you have to say for yourself.” 

“ Don’t be afraid. Just tell him the truth,” 
whispered Harold, encouragingly, in Patsy’s ear. 

It was a curious scene. The poor, ragged, dirty, 
starved, wretched-looking stowaway standing before 
the big brown-bearded captain under the strong light 
of the swinging lamp, and telling his story in his own 
simple fashion, the Irish brogue proclaiming itself in 
every sentence, -while a group of men gathered about 
with interested sympathetic faces. 

Patsy’s story was a very pathetic one. His mother 
was dead, having lived only long enough for him 
to remember how good she was to him. His father 
had married again, and the stepmother had nothing 
but cross words and cruel blows for the child that 
was not her own. For years his life had been one of 
constant misery, until at last, driven to desperation, 
he determined to stow away on board some vessel 
that was going on a long voyage; and hearing about 
the wharves of the “ Narwhal’s” destination, he 


38 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


thought he could not do better than hide himself 
in her hold and take his chances. 

All this came out by dint of much questioning, and 
it was apparent that the recital had due effect upon 
Captain Mailing’s heart. His tone, which at the first 
was one of impatience and anger, gradually softened 
into one of sympathy and pity, until at last he found 
himself saying as he looked from Patsy’s shrunken 
form and pallid pinched face to his own boy’s sturdy 
frame and ruddy cheeks: “Poor little chap ! You 
have been used hardly, and no mistake.” 

Then, as if recollecting himself, he drew his face up 
into sterner lines, and seemed to be considering what 
action he should take. Harold, impatient for his 
father’s decision, and fearing lest it should be adverse, 
here interposed, saying in tones of earnest entreaty, 
while the tears stood in his eyes : “ You’ll let Patsy 
stay, won’t you, dear father ? ” 

Captain Marling looked from one to the other of 
the two boys before him with a quizzical smile. 
“Humph!” said he at last. “Not content with 
making me take you whether I would or no, you now 
want to force another youngster upon me. Well, Pll 
tell you what I’ll do. Patsy can stay ; but mind you, 
if he doesn’t prove worth his salt at least, I’ll ship him 
back to St. John’s by the first sealer I meet. We’ve 
no room for useless boys on board the ‘ Narwhal. , 
Take him away now aud let him get a good wash 
and a bite to eat.” 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


39 


There was a murmur of approval at the captain’s 
decision from the listening circle, and, full of joy 
at the result, Harold marched Patsy off to carry out 
his father’s instructions. 


CHAPTER IV. 


A BATTLE WITH THE ICE. 

THOROUGH wash, a hearty supper, and a good 



-TA. night’s rest in a spare bunk there happened to be 
in the forecastle effected a wonderful change in Patsy 
Kehoe; and when, the next morning, Harold made 
him throw his old rags away and put on in their place 
a suit of clothes that still had plenty of wear in them, 
and fitted him tolerably well, he presented so improved 
an appearance that Captain Marling looked quite gra- 
ciously upon him, and decided that lie should be his 
cabin boy, his duties being to wait on table at meal 
time, keep the saloon shipshape, and make himself 
generally useful. This light work suited the boy very 
well, and being extremely eager to please, and very 
nimble with both hands and feet, while possessing a 
good share of brain withal, he soon became well worth 
his salt, and there was not much danger of his being 
sent back on the first sealer. 

His devotion to Harold was really beautiful to 
witness. He looked upon him as the good genius that 
had wrought so wonderful a change in his fortunes. 
His eyes followed him with the same deep, trustful, 
loving look that makes a dog at times seem almost 
human, and he was ever ready to anticipate, if pos- 


40 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


41 


sible, any want of his young champion’s — to fetch and 
carry for him all day long. The time was to come 
when Patsy would make still greater proof of his 
gratitude, and when, not only Harold, but Captain 
Marling too, would bless the day that they showed 
kindness to the little Irish stowaway. 

Onward, past the stern, terrible Labrador coast went 
the “ Narwhal,” beset by storms that seemed to have nei- 
ther beginning nor end, encompassed by ice that covered 
the ocean’s bosom with a tossing, tumbling breastplate, 
or rose into mighty bergs that towered threateningly 
about the steamer on every side, or swathed in dense 
chilling fogs that compelled Captain Marling, impa- 
tient as he was to reach Hudson’s Straits, to take in 
all his canvas and work the engines at half-speed. 

Harold was in a constant state of wide-eyed admi- 
ration and delight, tempered with delicious thrills of 
terror. He had lived a pretty quiet, uneventful life 
at Aunt Etter’s, and the only adventures he had known 
were such as commonly fall to the lot of a boy in a 
bustling seaport, who is allowed a proper degree of 
liberty. He had had one or two narrow escapes from 
drowning ; he had upset out of a boat in the middle 
of the harbor; he had been lost in the woods while 
out on a trout-fishing expedition ; but that was about 
the sum of his acquaintance with danger, and now lie 
seemed to be in the very midst of it. The mighty 
ice king had apparently arrayed all his forces against 
the “ Narwhal” in a determined effort to prevent her 


42 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


penetrating into his dominions. The gigantic bergs 
by tens, with scores of “ growlers,” as the little bergs 
are called, came trooping down before a northeast gale, 
and there were nights when the berth below Harold’s 
was undisturbed, for the captain would not leave the 
bridge. Then one day it would be fog so dense that 
you could not see from one bulwark to the other, and 
the next a blinding snow storm that made the look- 
out’s duty anything but pleasant. And all the time 
there was a heavy and confused sea running, and the 
“ Narwhal” labored like a weary horse, giving vent to 
frequent groans that had a weird lifelike sound. 

This had been going on for a full week when some- 
thing still worse happened. Late one evening, the ice, 
hitherto broken into cakes and floes, set solid to 
the ship fore and aft, rafting and piling up all around, 
and for the next ten days the stout “ Narwhal ” was 
as helpless as a fly upon a carriage wheel. Hither 
and thither, up and down, north, south, east and west, 
powerless to disobey the bidding of the fickle winds 
or changing currents the steamer drifted in the firm 
grip of the ice, which seemed as though it would 
never weary of its plaything. When a change of 
wind came, and the wind was frequently veering 
round to some fresh quarter, the pack would open 
a little, and in hope of escape, the engines would 
be set hard to work. But before a mile had been 
made, the pack would close again, seeming thus to be 
playing with its prisoner as a cat plays with a mouse. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


43 


The effect of all this delay and uncertainty was 
very visible on board the "Narwhal.” Captain 
Marling’s bluff cheeriness gave place to auxiety and 
irritation, old Peter Strum grew more crusty and 
crabbed, if that were possible, and even Frank Lewis’ 
usual high spirits suffered an eclipse, to such an 
extent that he seemed too much vexed to whistle. 
The sailors too began to murmur and grumble, 
to throw out hints about theirs being an unlucky ship, 
and to relate what they conceived to be omens in 
support of their forebodings. But in the midst of it 
all there was one upon whom these untoward circum- 
stances had not the slightest effect. His face was 
always bright and sunny, his voice full of cheer and 
his step buoyant. All day long while at his work he 
whistled or sang merrily to himself. His life seemed 
one unshadowed dream of delight. This was Patsy 
Kelioe, late dirty, ragged, starving stowaway, now 
clean, well-clothed, well-fed cabin boy. “ Bless the 
youngster!” the captain would say, as Patsy’s blithe 
whistle came up like the warble of a bird from the 
pantry, where he was busy helping the steward, 
" Bless the boy ! He’s the only one on board that’s 
got any spirit left. We might do worse than take a 
leaf out of his book.” 

One evening after dinner, during which meal 
Patsv had been waiting upon the table with a face as 
full of brightness as his motions were quick and his 
fingers deft, Captain Marling called him to him: 


44 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ Look here, Patsy/ 7 said he, “ how is it you’re so 
‘ chirpy ’ when everybody else is so glum ?” 

“ I don’t know, sir,” answered Patsv, with a 
respectful tug at his forelock. “ ’Spose it’s because 
I’m having such a good time.” 

“ Oh, ho ! ” laughed the captain. “ So this is what 
you call having a good time. I wonder what Peter 
Strum would say to that ? ” 

“Well, you see, sir,” said Patsy, feeling as if 
lie were in a certain measure called upon to explain 
himself, “ it’s just this way. You’ve let me stay 
here, sir, God bless your kind heart, and there’s 
plenty to do, and plenty to eat, and a nice corner 
to sleep in ; and then Master Harold has given me 
these nice clothes, and so it’s better off I am than 
ever I was in my born days.” 

“Good for you, Patsy, my boy,” smiled the cap- 
tain. “You’ve got sense enough to know when 
you’re well off, at all events. Stick to that, and 
you’ll save yourself many a heartache.” 

Day after day dragged itself wearily along from 
sunrise to sunset, and still the “ Narwhal ” was held 
in durance vile. Then one morning a wild storm 
burst upon her from the northeast. The wind raged 
and screamed through the rigging, the heavy clouds 
hung so low that it was almost dark at midday, and 
the seabirds flew frantically about the steamer as 
if they looked to her for refuge. At first so vast 
was the pack, and so firmly was the “Narwhal” 


UP AMONG T1IE ICE-FLOES. 


45 


imbedded in the very heart of it, that the fiercest 
gusts hardly produced a tremor in her mighty frame. 
But presently the pack began to break up at the edge 
most fully exposed to the storm. With surprising 
rapidity floe after floe was detached, with a report that 
sounded thrillingly like thunder, each floe in its turn 
taking up the part of battering ram against the inert 
defenseless pack, until at length the whole field 
was shattered into fragments, which, now no longer 
stationary, tossed and tumbled ceaselessly at the 
bidding of the storm. It was then that the real peril 
of the “Narwhal” began. Captain Marling wanted 
Harold to remain below, but he begged so hard to be 
allowed to stay on the bridge beside his father that he 
was permitted to have his own way. From there he 
had a full view of the struggle now going on between 
the forces of nature in their destructive fury, and the 
efforts of man to cope with them. 

The steamer had been, so to speak, prepared for 
action. Her hatches had been battened down securely, 
all loose ropes coiled snugly in their places, and the 
deck cleared of everything not needed. Every man 
was at his post. On the bridge were the captain, the 
first mate, and one of the sealers who had joined at St. 
John’s, often conferring together as to the best thing to 
do. On the poop were the second mate and the 
second engineer, the latter having come up from the 
hot engine room for a breath of cooler air while his 
senior officer took his place below, while in the 


46 


UP AMONG THE ICE- FLOES. 


waist of the ship and at the bow, the men were 
gathered in little groups, awaiting their captain’s 
command. 

As bravely and obediently as though she were a 
thing of life, did the gallant steamer struggle onward. 
Harold, hugging tightly the rail of the bridge, a heavy 
tarpaulin hat tied fast upon his head, and a thick oil- 
skin coat protecting his body, hardly knew whether 
terror or fascination had most control of him, and the 
scene before him was certainly well calculated to 
inspire boy or man with both emotions to no small 
degree. 

The storm had now reached its height. The furious 
wind turned the tight-strained rigging into a huge 
seolian harp, and played upon it tunes that sounded 
like the wild wails of tortured spirits. The steamer 
groaned through every timber as she rose and plunged 
in the mighty waves. But grandest and most terrible 
of all were the ice-floes ; some large enough to have 
borne the “Narwhal” upon their backs as lightly as a 
powerful horse does its rider : others no bigger than 
one of the whale boats hanging in the davits. They 
were fully five feet thick, of hard Arctic ice — a por- 
tion of Jack Frost’s last winter’s crop ; and driven by 
the impetuous wind, they tossed about on the tumult- 
uous waves, crashing into one another with splintering 
collision, or battering the steamer’s ironclad hull with 
dull booming shocks that made her tremble from stem 
to stern. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


47 


The keenest vigilance was required to avoid colli- 
sions with immense floes that might have done serious 
damage, or to elude the fatal nip of icy monsters 
charging madly upon one another. The steward 
crept cautiously up on deck to announce that dinner 
was ready, but nobody heeded him. The dinner 
might wait, but the storm would not, and no man 
could be spared from his post. Not that there was 
much to do, save to look on at the tremendous conflict; 
but who. could tell when the best efforts of all might 
be required? 

Finding the wind unbearable on the exposed bridge, 
Harold made his way back to the poop, and sought 
out a sheltered nook beside the mizzen-mast. He 
had not been there long, before Patsy, relieved from 
his duties below, came creeping along the decks, 
holding fast to whatever was at hand, and Harold, 
delighted to see him, called out : “ Patsy ! Patsy ! 
come here ! ” 

Patsy at once steered toward him, and the two boys 
nestled sociably together in their corner, whence they 
could look out upon the storm, and listen to the grind- 
ing and crashing of the ice-floes. 

“It is dreadful, Patsy, isn’t it?” said Harold, in 
awe-struck tones. “ I’m so afraid, aren’t you ? ” 

“ Faith, it is a bad storm, Master Harold, and that 
ice just looks as if it was achin’ to smash us up 
altogether,” replied Patsy ; “ but we’ll be taken care 
of, and I’m not afraid.” 


48 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


"Just think, though, Patsv, if one of those big 
cakes of ice was to make a hole in the steamer’s side 
and she was to sink, what would become of us then ? 
We couldn’t take to the boats, and we’d just have to 
drown,” went on Harold, who felt disposed to take 
rather a gloomy view of the situation. 

“ Arrah, now ! don’t you be thinking of that at all !” 
returned Patsy, putting on a bright smile. “Sure, 
nothin’ of the kind’s goin’ to happen at all ; the 
steamer’s too strong for any piece of ice to make a 
hole in her.” 

“I don’t know about that,” said Harold, shaking 
his head doubtfully; “ I’ve read of it happening, in 
the books.” 

“ Was it only in the books it happened?” retorted 
Patsy, who seemed determined to be cheerful. “ Then 
sure, we needn’t bother ourselves about it, for it’s not 
in the books we are.” 

While they were speaking, Frank Lewis came 
along the deck, and noticing the boys in the corner, 
approached them, saying : “ Well, boys, don’t you 
wish you were safe at home again ?” 

“ I don’t know but I do, sir,” answered Harold. 

“Faith, then, and I don’t,” cried Patsy. “Pd 
rather be on board this steamer in the biggest storm 
that ever was than be at my home again.” 

Lewis smiled at the speaker, understanding well his 
meaning. “You know when you’re well olf, don’t 
you, Patsy?” 


up among the ice-floes. 49 

“ I think I do, sir ; and I’m well pleased to Slav, 
storm or no storm.” 

The afternoon wore away without any apparent 
abatement in the violence of the gale or the quantity 
of the ice, and with approach of night, anxiety on 
board the “ Narwhal” increased. The steamer had 
so far stood the ordeal splendidly. The pumps had 
been frequently sounded, but no sign of a leak was 
discovered. The engines had been doing their work as 
smoothly and steadily as though there were no storm, 
and beyond some slight breakages in the saloon and 
pantry, no damage had been reported. 

All this had been made possible only by the exer- 
cise of the utmost care and skill on the part of the 
captain and his assistants. So admirable was Captain 
Marling’s seamanship, that even Peter Strum hardly 
ventured a suggestion. All day long he had stood 
upon the bridge, watching every movement of his gal- 
lant ship, and of the ice that seemed to be conspiring 
for her destruction. Just before dark he left his post 
for a few minutes to snatch a hurried bite of food, and 
then returned there to spend the rest of the night. 

At supper time those who could be spared from the 
deck gathered at the table, Harold, in spite of his 
uneasiness, finding himself with a keen appetite. 
They were just in the midst of their meal, when 
there was a heavy concussion under the steamer’s 
stern. The propeller seemed to cease its revolu- 
tions for an instant, and then start again with a rush* 

D 


50 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Bat, clearly enough, there was something wrong. 
Instead of running with the regularity with which it 
had been running all day, its jerky, spasmodic action 
told only too plainly that serious damage had been 
done in some way. 

The chief engineer sprang from the table with a 
troubled face, and hastened off to the engine room. 
Frank Lewis hurried on deck, while the surgeon and 
Harold remained in the saloon, anxiously awaiting an 
explanation of what had happened. What seemed a 
long time to them passed without any one appearing, 
and Dr. Linton was just about to go up on deck, when 
Lewis ran down to get something from the cabin. 

“ Hello, Lewis, what’s happened?” cried Dr. 
Linton. 

“A pretty bad business,” replied Lewis, whose 
countenance showed much concern. “ The propeller’s 
broken.” 

“ Propeller broken ! ” exclaimed the doctor. “ How 
do you mean ? Broken right off ? ” 

“ Oh, no ; not so bad as that,” answered the mate, 
unable to restrain a smile. “ But one blade must be 
gone, anyway ; and we can’t tell till morning what 
other damage has been done.” 

Harold’s heart sank within him at these words, and 
Dr. Linton looked very grave. There was, indeed, 
plenty of cause for great anxiety. The situation of 
the steamer was perilous in the extreme. To have 
faced such a gale with everything in order would have 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


51 


been task enough during the long hours of darkness. 
But to struggle with tempest and darkness together 
when in a semi-disabled condition ! Little wonder 
if Captain Marl i rig’s well-bronzed countenance took 
on a haggard look that did not seem at all natural, 
and if Peter Strum was overheard continually mut- 
tering unintelligible things, that may, perhaps, have 
been prayers, as the anxious night wore slowly away. 


CHAPTER Y. 


AT NACHVAK. 


HE gray morning dawned witli lingering reluc- 



J- tance, and found the “Narwhal” still straggling 
stoutly and successfully with her besetting dangers. 
As the light grew stronger, Captain Marling, to his 
great joy, discovered that the ice pack no longer cov- 
ered the sea as far as eye could reach ; but that ofP to 
the northwest clear water could be discovered. More- 
over, the storm had certainly decreased in violence, and 
the outlook was altogether more hopeful. 

“We’ll soon be out of mischief, Peter. We ought 
to make that clear water in the course of an hour,” 
said he, in a cheerful tone, to the old mate. 

“ Aye, aye, sir, it’s all right. But we’ve had a hard 
night of it,” responded Strum, with the semblance of 
a smile. 

Within the hour the open water was safely reached, 
and all danger from the sea became a thing of the 
past. The wind continued to go down during the 
morning, and preparations were made to repair the 
propeller. This would be no easy task. Captain 
Marling was, of course, too wise a seaman to start 
upon such a voyage without taking the precaution to 
provide himself with some spare blades for the screw, 


52 


53 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 

but it was one thing to have them stowed snugly on 
board, and another to put them into use. 

Harold watched the proceedings with intense inter- 
est, and a constant shower of questions. So soon as 
the wind had sufficiently abated, and the sea become 
less turbulent, a hoisting gear was arranged at the 
stern. Then, under the direction of the chief engineer, 
the huge heavy screw was slowly lifted from its place, 
and, with many a “ heave-ho ” and “easy now,” 
swung up on the deck, where the damage done to it 
at once became apparent. 

One of the blades had been broken short off, and it 
was a wonder to all that it had served its purpose so 
well as it had during the dark hours of danger. Two 
hours of hard work and a new blade restored the 
screw to its original condition. Less than half that 
time was sufficient to replace it at the stern ; and then, 
with everybody on board feeling that a great burden 
had been lifted from them, and that they had glad 
hearts and free, the “ Narwhal ” went bounding over 
the waters, steering directly for Hudson’s Straits. 

So soon as this had been successfully accomplished, 
Captain Marling, thoroughly tired out, went down to 
his cabin for the rest he so greatly needed, and did not 
appear again until supper time. Then he came out in 
excellent humor, and had many questions to ask of 
Harold, who was in close attendance upon him. 

“ What do you think of a sailor’s life now, Hal ? 
Not much fun about it in a storm, is there ? ” 


54 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ No, indeed, sir,” replied Harold, promptly. “ I’m 
mighty glad the storm is oyer, and hope there won’t 
be another in a hurry.” 

“ There’s no telling, Hal. There’s no telling,” said 
the captain, shaking his head. “ Plenty of storms 
up in these regions. Perhaps,” he added, with a sly 
look at his son, k( you wish you were back in Halifax 
again.” 

u Not a bit of it, sir,” protested Harold. “ I was a 
little frightened last night, but I’m all right now, and 
it’ll take more to frighten me next time.” 

“ That’s a good way of looking at it, Hal,” said the 
captain, with an approving smile. “ Just keep along 
that line, and you’ll soon get as hard to scare as old 
Peter himself.” 

Harold blushed with pleasure at his father’s com- 
mendation, and firmly resolved in his mind that he 
would keep along that line, and that even though he 
should never become quite as hard to scare as old 
Strum, who seemed to be made of sole leather, he was 
so tough, still he would follow his example closely. 

The “ Narwhal,” under a full head of steam, and 
with every stitch of canvas set, made great headway 
northward during the day. The little ice that there 
was scattered over the face of the ocean offered no 
opposition to her progress, and ere the sun sank to 
rest behind the lofty cliffs that lined the shore, she had 
cast anchor at Nachvak Bay. Then Captain Marling 
intended to procure, if possible, an Esquimau, who 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


55 


might accompany him for the remainder of the 
voyage as interpreter. 

Harold was highly delighted at the prospect of a 
run on shore, especially as it would probably afford 
him his first glimpse of a genuine Esquimau, and long 
before the steamer came to anchor he had obtained 
permission from his father to accompany him when 
he went on land. This the captain did not do that 
evening, as it was almost dark before the “Narwhal” 
was anchored to his satisfaction, consequently Harold 
had to restrain his impatience as best he might until 
morning. They had a visitor, however, whose coming 
in some measure consoled him — namely, the chief 
factor of the Hudson Bay Company’s post, which 
gives to Nachvak what little importance it possesses. 

This gentleman, who might be said to have been 
monarch of all he surveyed, for certainly his right 
there were none to dispute, the gentle Esquimaux be- 
ing entirely subject to him, proved to be a stout, full- 
bearded Scotchman of about middle age, with the 
manner of one accustomed to do and say pretty much 
what he pleased. He came out in his boat just about 
dark, and, despite his important bearing, Harold 
thought him of little interest in comparison with the 
quartet of oarsmen that composed his crew. These 
were unusually fine specimens of Esquimaux — four 
short, squat, dark-skinned, black- haired, brown-eyed, 
flat-nosed individuals, who seemed to be very princes 
of good humor. There was not a line of care or hint 


56 


T7P AMONG THE ICE-FLOESi 


of temper on their fat faces, and when, having secured 
the boat, they clambered awkwardly, but fearlessly, 
up the rope ladder at the “Narwhal's” side and stood 
in a little group upon the deck, Harold thought them 
the very oddest-looking fellows he had ever seen. 

He at once went up to them, and was not a little 
proud to find himself almost a head above the tallest 
of the four. 

“ Good-morning. Glad to see you,” said he, in his 
most gracious manner. 

The Esquimaux grinned broadly, and after looking 
at one another said something together that was evi- 
dently intended as a reply to the salutation, but just 
what it was Harold could not, for the life of him, 
make out. 

“Can you talk English?” he asked. 

The dusky visitors grinned again, and, after another 
look at each other, shook their heads. 

“ That’s a pity,” said Harold, “ for I certainly can’t 
speak your language.” 

Suddenly a happy thought struck him. Though 
they couldn’t talk, they undoubtedly could eat, so 
bidding them “'stay there, he would be back in a 
second,” he darted otf to the saloon, and presently re- 
appeared. bearing a plateful of biscuits. He could 
not have made a better choice. The moment the 
Esquimaux saw the biscuits their eyes gleamed with 
delight, their grin extended well-nigh from ear to ear, 
and as soon as the plate was within reach they simul- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FEOES. 


57 


taneously made a grab at it, with the result that sev- 
eral biscuits were knocked off the plate to the deck, 
where they scrambled for them with all the eagerness 
of street arabs scrambling for pennies. 

Harold laughed heartily at their naive manners, 
and Patsy appearing at this moment, he called him 
over to share in the amusement. Their eager scramb- 
ling for the biscuits had given him an idea, which he 
forthwith proceeded to put into execution. With- 
drawing a little way from the Esquimaux, who were 
still standing by the bulwarks, he held up a biscuit, 
and calling out, “Here! Catch ! The first man that 
gets it, keeps it,” threw it into their midst. 

Not for an instant did the natives hesitate. They 
may never have played that sort of game before, but 
they knew exactly what to do, all the same, and with 
the agility of four expert football players, they made 
a dive for this biscuit. The struggle that ensued was 
very funny, and the two boys laughed until their sides 
ached as biscuit after biscuit was thrown with the 
same result, the Esquimaux thoroughly entering into 
the spirit of the thing, and manifesting the utmost 
good humor. Nor were the boys the only spectators. 
The entire crew soon turned out to witness the sport, 
and were joined by the second mate and surgeon, so 
that when Captain Marling came up on deck with the 
factor, he found a uoisv crowd gathered amidships, 
which he quietly joined, and, with his visitor, enjoyed 
the fun as much as the others. 


58 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Harold had just despatched Patsy for a fresh 
supply of biscuits, and the excitement was at its 
height. Tossing the biscuit into the air he would 
shout: “Now, then — jump for it!” and jump for 
it the four fat “Huskies” would, knocking the bis- 
cuit on the deck and rolling over one another in their 
eagerness to get it. The one who succeeded in secur- 
ing the prize would then stuff it into the capacious 
bosom of his shirt, and be ready for a fresh struggle. 

By the time the second supply of biscuits was ex- 
hausted the factor wished to return to the shore, and 
in vast good humor his swarthy oarsmen took their 
leave of the white visitors who had treated them so 
handsomely. 

The following morning proved gloriously fine, and 
Captain Marling immediately after breakfast ordered 
his gig to be put in the water that he might be rowed 
ashore in state to return the factor’s visit. Harold, 
as a matter of course, accompanied him, donning his 
best shore-going clothes for the occasion, and in high 
spirits at the prospect of a run on dry land ; for if it 
must be told, he had already begun to find the con- 
finement of shipboard life not a little irksome, and a 
change, however brief, was wonderfully welcome. 

Nachvak could not boast of many lions wherewith 
to entertain its visitors. Half a dozen low, strong 
wooden buildings, gathered into a sort of square, con- 
stituted the Hudson Bay Company’s post, and besides 
that, at a little distance off, a cluster of the picturesque- 


UP AMOKG THE ICE-FLOES. 


59 


looking skin tents in which the Esquimaux live during 
the hot months of their brief summer were the only 
signs of human habitation. Of vegetation, except some 
scanty patches of moss and lichen, there was none, 
except that here and there in sunny-sheltered nooks 
tiny green leaves might be found thrusting their way 
through the unpropitious soil. 

The factor — who rejoiced, by the way, in the good 
Scotch name of Donald McTavish — greeted his visitors 
very cordially, and escorted them at once to his quar- 
ters, where Harold had the opportunity of going about 
on his own account, while the elders partook of some 
refreshment in the factor’s best parlor. He was soon 
an object of lively interest to a group of Esquimaux 
children, who followed him about like a pack of dogs, 
watching his every movement and chatting to one an- 
other. They kept at a very respectful distance, and 
Harold, wishing to be friendly, made several attempts 
to overcome this reserve ; but his efforts resulting only 
in a very sudden and complete scattering of his dusky 
followers, he gave it up as a bad job. 

Presently, however, he had better fortune, for after 
he had made the rounds of the post, looking into the 
storehouses, now filled with furs awaiting the coming 
of the annual ship, and taking a peep at the men’s 
quarters, which seemed rather close and stuffy abodes 
for summer time, although no doubt just the right 
thing for the bitter days of midwinter, he went over 
to the Esquimaux village. He no sooner approached it 


60 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


than a fat little man came toward him, grinning from 
ear to ear, whom Harold, with some little difficulty, 
recognized as one of the factor’s boatmen. He was 
very glad indeed to see him, and holding out his hand, 
gave him a cordial “ Good-mornil]g.’ , 

The Esquimau looked at the outstretched hand as 
though he expected to see something in it. Then 
finding it was empty, he took hold of it in both of 
his and pressed it to his bosom. He was a jolly look- 
ing little man, quite three inches shorter than Harold, 
but considerably broader, and the boy could not help 
thinking to himself that if it came to a hand-to-hand 
struggle, the “ Huskie ” might prove a very tough cus- 
tomer. Harold wished very much that he had taken 
some lessons in the Esquimaux language before coming 
up North, for it did seem so stupid to be standing 
there vis-a-vis with this pleasant-faced native, and to 
all appearance trying to out-do him in grinning. 

One can always fall back upon the sign language, 
however, so pointing at the cluster of tents, Harold 
called out loudly, as if his hearer was somewhat deaf : 
“Pd like to see your tents. Come along and show 
them to me.” 

Whereat the Esquimau enlarged his smile bv way of 
indicating that he understood, and at once waddled off 
toward the tents, with Harold following close in his 
wake. There were about twenty tents gathered 
together in an irregular group, and made apparently 
of very poor parchment, the actual material being 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


61 


sealskin, with the hair carefully scraped off. Each 
tent was the abode of a family, and -with an air of 
conscious pride, Harold’s guide conducted him to the 
cone of yellow crinkled skin of which he was the 
lord and master. It was about the same size as an 
ordinary Indian wigwam, and put together in much 
the same way ; long, thin pieces of driftwood formed 
the ribs, and a row of heavy stones was placed 
around the bottom fringe, to make it secure against 
the frequent assaults of the wind. Hardly had 
Harold peeped into the tent, than he backed out again 
with a celerity which suggested that something had 
scared him. But it was not his heart that failed him. 
It was something much less poetic. It was his stom- 
ach. For there, right at his feet as he entered, on 
either side of the narrow doorway was the Esquimau’s 
larder — two great piles of seal meat and blubber, as 
repulsive looking a sight as it is possible to conceive, 
and giving forth an odor that surely only a native, 
educated to it from childhood, could endure for one 
moment. Either the sight or the stench would have 
been quite enough for Harold, but together they were 
simply overwhelming, and turning away he hastened 
out of the encampment in the direction of the shore. 

His guide hurried after him with a very puzzled 
expression on his fat, dirty face, and seemed quite 
relieved when Harold, having by a great effort over- 
come his internal dissensions, said, with a reassuring 
smile : 


62 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ Oh, it’s all right ! Made me feel a little seasick, 
that’s all.” 

The “Huskie,” of course, could not understand the 
words, but the speaker’s tone and expression made it 
clear to him that he was not offended, and that was 
sufficient. Harold continued his progress toward the 
shore, for he had noticed a couple of kayaks, or Es- 
quimaux boats, drawn up on the beach, and he was 
anxious to examine them closely. He had read much 
about these curious little boats, which are, to the dusky 
dwellers in the region of eternal ice, what the birch- 
bark canoe is to the red man of the forest. He had 
seen many pictures of them, and now he was to see 
the thing itself. 

There were two kayaks drawn up side by side, and 
on Harold showing his interest in them, his new- 
found friend at once indicated bv signs that the larger 
and better one of the two was his own property. Bv 
dint of much gesticulation, Harold made him under- 
stand that he would like to see how the skiff was man- 
aged, whereupon the "Huskie” ran back to his tent 
for his paddle, and then launching the kayak, got care- 
fully in, and with sure, strong strokes, sent it leaping 
swiftly over the still surface of the harbor. He was 
evidently a most expert kayaker, and as the boy 
watched him darting hither and thither, spinning 
round with almost startling suddenness, and seeming 
more like some huge water bird than an awkward bit 
of humanity, he thought he had never seen so 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


63 


delightful a method of navigation, and he was deter- 
mined to try it for himself. Accordingly, he beckoned 
to the Esquimau to come in, and when he had done so, 
indicated to him by signs that he would like the loan 
of his kayak for a few minutes. The Esquimau de- 
murred at first, whether because he was afraid of some 
accident happening to the kayak or the bov, it is 
impossible to sav. But Harold was not to be denied. 
He had managed birch-bark canoes and wooden “ Rob 
Roys ” successfully at home, and he could surely get 
on all right enough with a kayak. 

After much persuasion the Esquimau gave a reluc- 
tant consent ; and, throwing off his coat and boots, 
Harold, in great glee, prepared for his experiment. 
The kayak was launched again, and brought along- 
side a big stone, where the owner held it while Harold 
stepped in gingerly, and stowed his legs away under 
the tiny skin deck. He was then handed the paddle, 
and, with a strong shove, sent out into deep water. 
No sooner was he thus committed to his own resources 
than he began to regret his rashness; for, of all the 
cranky crafts that he had ever tried, nothing compared 
with this kayak. It seemed to have but one object, 
and that was, to upset. Only by the greatest care, 
and constant use of the paddle as a balancing pole, 
could he keep right side up. His progress, it need 
hardly be said, was exceedingly slow. Yet he did 
succeed in getting about a hundred yards from the 
shore, when he thought he had better turn. 


64 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Captain Marling had by this time concluded his 
visit, and was returning to his gig, when he caught 
sight of Harold crawling tremblingly over the calm 
water in the kayak. 

“Just look at that young rascal!” he exclaimed, 
turning to the factor. “ That’s just like him — always 
doing something rash. He’s not afraid of anything.” 

“ He’s doing very well for a first attempt, as I sup- 
pose it is,” said Mr. McTavish. “But see! He’s 
trying to turn. I’m afraid he’ll find it a ticklish 
operation.” 

“Be careful, there, Hal!” shouted the captain, in 
stentorian tones, as he saw the boy’s danger. 

But the warning came too late. In his efforts to 
right about face Harold unhappily missed a stroke 
with the paddle, and instantly his cranky craft cap- 
sized, taking its occupant down with it; for he could 
not disengage his legs from the narrow space in which 
he had been sitting. To the captain’s horror, nothing 
was to be seen but the wet bottom of the kayak glit- 
tering in the sunshine. 


CHAPTER YI. 


ON THE TRACK OF HENRY HUDSON. 

TT7ITH a tremendous shout of “ Man the boat! 

’ ' Get to your places ! ” Captain Marling bounded 
toward the gig, sprang in over the bow, and, reaching 
the stern, grasped the rudder lines, while the men 
tumbled hastily into their seats ; and the factor, put- 
ting forth all his strength, pushed the boat from the 
beach out into deep water. 

“ Now, then, pull for your lives ! ” cried the captain. 

The men needed no urging. They loved their cap- 
tain, who was as kind and just as he was strict ; and 
they loved his son, whose bright, manly face was 
always welcome in their forecastle, when he came to 
listen to them spinning yarns, and, very probably, 
bringing with him some dainty from the captain’s 
table. With stalwart strokes they sent the swift gig 
over the smooth water toward the spot where the 
curved bottom of the upturned kayak showed above 
the surface like the back of a porpoise at rest. 

When first upset, the light skiff could be seen moving 
in a wav that showed the boy imprisoned beneath was 
struggling hard to free himself. But ere the gig got 
more than half-way to it, the motion altogether ceased ; 
and the captain noticing this, cried hoarsely to his 
E 65 


66 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


rowers: “Pull, men, pull, or it will be all over with 
the boy ! ” 

If it were possible to put forth any more strength 
than they were already doing, the men did it ; and 
with six tremendous strokes sent the boat flying to the 
side of the upturned kayak. 

“ Easy all! Easy now !” cried Captain Marling. 
“ Stand by to help !” And he sprang into the bow 
of the gig as.it ran up alongside the kayak. 

“Now, then, lift there.” And he grasped one end 
of the light skiff, while a sailor seized the other. 
They quickly turned the treacherous craft over, to find 
poor Harold lying lifelessly underneath. 

“God help us ! Can he be dead?” cried the cap- 
tain, in tones of agony, as lie lifted the limp form of 
his boy into the boat, and pressed his hand against 
his face, which was ominously white and cold. 

“He’s just lost his breath. He’ll be all right, sir,” 
said one of the men, reassuringly. 

“ Pull for the ship as hard as you can. Give way 
now with all your might,” the captain shouted, drop- 
ping down upon the stern sheets with Harold’s body 
in his arms. The men rowed their best, and the “Nar- 
whal” was quickly reached, Harold being at once 
taken to the saloon, where he was stretched out upon 
the table, and restorative measures promptly applied 
under the direction of Dr. Linton. For a time it 
seemed as though all efforts would be unavailing. 
The water into which he had been upset was deadly 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


67 


cold, and had almost instantly chilled him to the 
heart ; and though he had been less than a minute 
actually immersed, the time was long enough to bring 
him very near to death. 

Presently, however, under the skillful handling of 
the doctor, signs of life began to make themselves 
apparent. A faint tinge came into the pale cheeks, 
and steadily deepened ; the eyelids fluttered as though 
they were striving to open, and a gentle sigh was 
breathed from the lips that had seemed as though they 
would never move again. At the end of an hour’s 
unremitting effort he opened his eyes widely, looked 
about him at the group of anxious faces around as if 
lie would like very much to know what all the fuss 
Was about, and then fell asleep again. 

“He’s all right!” exclaimed Dr. Linton, joyfully. 
“Danger’s over. Let’s put him snugly in his own 
bunk, and by to-morrow morning he’ll be not a bit 
the worse for it.” 

“ God be praised ! ” said the captain, reverently. “ I 
never knew how precious my bov was to me until 
now.” And bending over Harold, the big man kissed 
him again and again with almost womanly tenderness. 

One of the most intensely interested spectators, of all 
these proceedings had been Patsy Kelioe. He knew 
nothing of Harold’s mishap until his unconscious 
form was lifted gently on board ; but when he saw 
his face of deathly paleness, and his utter helpless- 
ness, he sprang at once to the worst conclusion, and 


68 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


with an agonized cry of: “Ochorie! ochone ! the 
dear young master ; is he dead entirely ? The Lord 
have mercy upon him ! ” 

“Shut up, and be about your business,” growled 
old Strum, who was not disposed to look upon the 
stowaway with much favor. But Patsy was not to 
be sent away. With the tears running down his 
cheeks, he followed the sorrowful procession to the 
cabin, and there stood beside the table, swinging his 
hands and saying softly to himself, “The Lord help 
him,” while his eyes watched everything that was 
being done, as though his own life depended upon the 
success of the means employed. When at length 
Harold breathed and opened his eyes, poor Patsy’s 
glad relief could not be suppressed, and taking up the 
boy’s hand, he covered it with tears and kisses, ex- 
claiming, joyfully : “ Sure, lie’s not dead at all ; indeed 
he’s not. Oh, the dear young master ! ” 

Even in the midst of his own deep emotions, Cap- 
tain Marling could not help observing Patsy’s dis- 
play of genuine feeling, and his heart was touched 
by it. 

“ That youngster’s got something good in him,” 
said he. “ I’m glad now I let him stay with us.” 

The doctor’s prophecy in regard to Harold proved 
correct. He spent the rest of that day in his berth, 
and was a trifle shaky the following morning, but 
otherwise was not a whit the worse for his very nar- 
row escape from death. When he reappeared on deck, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


69 


the “Narwhal” had left Nachvak far behind, Captain 
Marling having succeeded in securing a satisfactory 
interpreter, and was now at the entrance to Hudson 
Straits, where another hard struggle with the ice was 
anticipated. 

At first the prospect for a successful run seemed 
very good, the field ice being loose and rotten, and 
permitting the steamer to plough steadily through it 
at the rate of from six to eight knots an hour. But 
as the day wore on, the weather unfortunately set in 
thick, a dense fog hanging over the sea, making it 
necessary to slacken speed, especially as the appear- 
ance of many “growlers’’ — fragments of large ice- 
bergs — hinted broadly at the proximity of big bergs, 
and made a sharp lookout imperative. Steaming 
either at half-speed or dead-slow, the “ Narwhal ” 
crept cautiously onward, the fog occasionally lifting 
and allowing a sight of land to be obtained. It was 
a very dreary business, particularly when, as happened 
more than once, it was found advisable to tie up to a 
huge floe, and resign all idea of progress for the time. 
One such floe was three hundred yards long by two 
hundred yards wide, and at least twelve feet thick, 
a perfect island of ice, which would have carried the 
“ Narwhal,” solid and heavy as she was, on its broad, 
white back as easily as a feather’s weight. 

The two sealers whom he had taken on at St. John’s 
being thoroughly acquainted with the locality, and the 
peculiar kind of navigation the steamer was now ex- 


70 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


periencing. Captain Marling put the ship in their 
charge, and allowed himself more leisure than he had 
done since the commencement of the voyage. This 
wa3 pleasing to Harold, who was never so happv as 
when in his father’s company, and the captain took 
the opportunity to tell him something about the 
famous bay toward which they were directing their 
course. 

“ If you could only see, my boy, the kind of ships 
in which the first Englishmen sailed across the ocean 
to discover this continent, you would just set them 
right down for lunatics. Why the ‘ Discoverie/ in 
which Henry Hudson had the pluck to push his wav 
through all the ice and fog and other dangers of these 
straits into the heart of the big bay beyond, could easily 
stand on the ‘ Narwhal’s ’ deck and yet leave us 
plenty of room to work the ship. She was a crazy 
little craft, not much better than one of those ballast 
hookers that we laugh at in Halifax harbor, and yet 
in her, Henry Hudson, more than two hundred and 
fifty years ago, crossed the Atlantic, ventured through 
these straits and made his way clear down to the 
southern end of the bay, where he stayed all winter. 
Poor fellow! he deserved a better fate than fell to his 
lot,” added the captain, musingly. 

“ Why, father, what happened to him ? Was he 
frozen to death in the winter?” inquired Harold, 
eagerly. 

“ Worse than that, Hal; worse than that,” an- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 71 

swered the captain. “Oh, how I’d like to liave my 
hands on the scoundrels ! Wouldn’t I string them up 
to the yardarm at short notice ! You see, Hal, when 
they were on their way back the next summer, they 
had a mutiny on board the ‘ Disco verie/ and the rest 
of the crew forced Captain Hudson, his son, and seven 
men who stood by him, to get into a boat with just a 
little water and food, and then the scoundrels cut them 
adrift and sailed away. Not one of them was ever 
seen again. Just fancy, Hal, if the ‘ Narwhal’s 9 
crew were to play that game on us ! ” 

“Not much fear of that, is there, father ?” an- 
swered Harold, in a very confident tone, yet at the 
same time drawing nearer to his father and taking 
hold of one of his hands ; for the thought of Henry 
Hudson with his young son adrift in the merciless ice 
in an open boat took hold of his quick imagination, 
and he could not restrain a shudder, as he asked : 
“ What do you think became of them, father?” 

“ I am sure I don’t know, Hal,” replied Captain 
Marling. “ It was in midsummer the villains cut 
them adrift, and the bay would be full of floating ice. 
Poor fellows ! no doubt they did their best to make 
the land. But even if they succeeded, they wouldn’t 
have been much better off, for there were no Esquimaux 
along the east coast, and their onlv chance would have 
been to go clear across the country to Nachvak, a 
matter of hundreds of miles, which of course was an 
utter impossibility.” 


72 


TJP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


The gallant discoverer of the great bay that now 
bears his name, and particularly the boy that shared 
his sad fate, were often in Harold’s thoughts after 
this, although he little imagined that the time would 
come when the same kind of villainy that had suc- 
ceeded in Hudson’s undoing would bring his father 
and himself into deadly peril. 

On the fourth day the fog cleared, the sun shone 
out bright and warm, the ice to a large extent disap- 
peared, and putting on a full head of steam Captain 
Marling sent the “ Narwhal” along at a fine rate of 
speed. The unclouded sky, the pleasant air, the rapid 
progress, brought back everybody’s good humor again, 
and hearts were light and countenances cheerful as the 
good steamer ploughed swiftly onward. To avoid the 
bulk of the ice which the current carries down from 
Jack Frost’s fastnesses along the southern side of the 
straits and out into the Atlantic Ocean, there to re- 
solve itself back into its original water, Captain 
Marling coasted the northern side of the strait, and 
Harold had a fine opportunity of studying an Arctic 
landscape. As they passed along, they saw huge 
beetling cliffs, broken here and there bv stretches of 
low land, or rather rocks, the relics of last winter’s 
snow lying in small patches in the gullies, while on 
the sunniest slopes of the hills a faint tinge of green 
could now and then be detected. The picture was a 
very dreary one. 

“ I should die if I had to live in such a country as 









Up Among the Ice Floes. 

Page 73. 







UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


73 


this,” soliloquized Harold. “No trees, no flowers, 
hardly any grass. Why, what could a fellow do? 
He couldn’t play cricket, or base ball or tennis, or 
anything of that kind. He couldn’t go swimming, 
for the water’s too cold. I’m precious glad I don’t 
live here, anyway — aren’t you, Patsy?” he added 
suddenly aloud, as he noticed Patsy coming toward 
him along the deck. 

“ What’s that, Master Harold, if you please ? ” 
asked Patsy. 

“Aren’t you glad you don’t live over on that laud 
all the year round ? ” 

“ Troth, that I am, sir,” replied Patsy, fervently. 
“ It’s little liking I have for GrifAntown, but I’m 
thinking that same place is a mighty sight better than 
this awful hole. Sure, my eyes are achin’ for a bit of 
a tree, and there isn’t so much as a leaf in the whole 
place. But what’s that, Master Harold?” he ex- 
claimed, excitedly, grasping Harold’s arm and point- 
ing to the wide stretch of open water on the seaward 
side of the steamer, where his keen eyes had detected 
a thin column of water, like a fountain in a flower 
garden, rising from the sea. 

Harold looked very hard, but being a little too late, 
saw nothing. 

“There ! there it is !” cried Patsy, pointing to the 
spot with a trembling finger, and this time Harold 
saw it plainly. 

“ It must be a whale ! Let’s call father,” exclaimed 


74 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Harold, running to the head of the companion way 
and shouting at the top of his voice, “ Father, father, 
come up ! We see a whale.” 

Captain Marling was in the cabin consulting some 
charts, but at the first sound of his son’s voice lie 
threw them down and dashed up on deck with an 
agility that could hardly have been surpassed by 
Master Harold himself. In the meantime the news 
had become known to all on board, and the seaward 
bulwark was crowded with faces eagerly scanning the 
rippled blue plain, from the midst of which the signifi- 
cant fountain had appeared. 

“ There she spouts ! There she spouts! ” would be 
the cry, as the fountain played again. The whale, 
indeed, seemed to be doing its best to attract attention. 
It was a whale of the right kind, of medium size, and 
was coming toward the ship in a slanting direction, in 
evident innocence of the presence of those whose special 
mission it was to wage war upon itself and its kindred. 
Happily, however, for this particular monster of the 
deep, and much to the chagrin of those on board the 
“ Narwhal,” preparations had not yet been made to en- 
gage in its pursuit ; and there was nothing to do but 
look idly on, and watch the great creature flinging its 
challenge into the air, and rolling its vast bulk over 
the waves, just as if it understood perfectly that the 
“ Narwhal ” was not yet ready to do it harm. 

Frank Lewis was anxious to get out his rifle, and 
see if it were possible to kill the whale with a bullet, 


UP AMONG T1IE ICE-FLOES. 


75 


since the harpoons were not in readiness; but Captain 
Marling would not suffer it. He was a tender man 
at heart, and he could not approve of what would be, 
after all, a bit of needless cruelty; for even though 
the whale were killed, it would be sure.to sink before 
the gear could be rigged to deal with it properly. So 
it was permitted to go on its way unscathed, the men 
watching it with longing eyes, as turning off at an 
angle, probably because it discovered the presence of 
the steamer, it went away down the strait, giving a 
farewell spout ere it finally vanished. 

The boys naturally felt very proud of having sighted 
the first whale ; and Captain Marling, by way of en- 
couraging such sharpness of vision, promised them a 
five-dollar gold piece for each time that either one of 
them would be the first to point out a “ fish.” For 
be it known that, although whales are not really fish 
at all, but warm-blooded mammals, the whalers will 
never call them anything but fish. 

The appearance of the whale filled the “ Narwhal ” 
with excitement and bustle. The unexpected difficul- 
ties encountered on the passage northward had delayed 
Captain Marling very materially. But now he was 
determined to make up for lost time; and orders flew 
thick and fast, as the day drew toward its close. In 
forty-eight hours they ought to be right in the midst 
of the whaling ground. 


CHAPTER VII. 


PREPARING FOR ACTION. 

ITH wind and weather favorable, and but little 



ice obstructing her progress, the “Narwhal” 
steamed on through Hudson’s Straits, then through 
Fisher Strait, and thence up into Rowe’s Welcome, 
where Captain Marling proposed to make his first 
attempt against the poor whales, whose only crime 
was their possessiou of such valuable blubber and bone. 

On board ship every thiug was at fever heat of activ- 
ity. A great deal had to be done before whaling could 
be properly entered upon, and there was work for 
everybody. The crew of the “ Narwhal,” including the 
captain, consisted of fifty men, some of whom bore 
very odd titles ; for whalers seem to have taken a 
good many of their business terms from the Hutch. 
There was, for instance, the speksioneer, the officer 
under whose direction the whale is cut up ; the skee- 
man, whose duty it was to superintend between decks 
the stowing away of the blubber in the tanks ; and 
others with titles equally queer. The “ Narwhal ” had 
a fine outfit of eight whale boats, and there were, there- 
fore, eight harpooneers, including the mates and the 
speksioneer, eight boat steerers, including the skeeman 
and boatswain, and eight line managers, the duty of 


76 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


77 


the latter being to pull the stroke oar in the boat, and 
to see that the lines are coiled away clear, so that they 
will run out freely when a fish has been struck. 

The first thing to be done was to get the boats out, 
they being always stowed away under deck until the 
whaling grounds are reached. It did not take long to 
have them up on deck, and, after a minute examina- 
tion at the hands of the captain and carpenter, thor- 
oughly cleansed from all dust and dirt. They were 
beautiful boats — long, low, and narrow, sharp at both 
bow and stern, and painted pure white, with a broad 
crimson stripe a little below the gunwale. Each boat 
would carry six men, five to row and one to steer, the 
harpooneer pulling the bow oar, and having command 
over all. The steering is done, not by a rudder, but 
by a long oar which projects out over the sharp stern, 
and with which the steerer can sweep his obedient boat 
round upon her track in one-half the space in which 
it could be done by a rudder. 

All the boats having been gotten ready, the crew 
next turned their attention to “spanning on” — that is, 
attaching the lines to the harpoons and coiling them 
away in the boats. The bustle reached its height 
over the operation, for each boat's crew did their best 
to have their craft equipped first, and the rivalry and 
excitement were very keen, as under the captain’s 
watchful and approving eye they toiled away like 
beavers. Harold had already attached himself to 
Frank Lewis’ boat, and he got very much worked up 


78 UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


over the contest, running about from boat to boat to 
see how the other competitors were getting on, and 
then back to his own to encourage its men by assuring 
them that they were bound to win. 

This was what they had to do. Each boat carries 
two harpoons — a gun harpoon and a hand harpoon. 
The gun harpoon is made wholly of iron, but the 
hand harpoon has a long wooden handle that makes 
it look something like an old-time spear. To the 
harpoons is first fitted the “ foregore ” or “ fore- 
gauger” — that is, a piece of white untarred two-and- 
a-quarter inch hemp rope from three to tweve fathoms 
long, which is much stronger and more yielding than 
any ordinary rope. Then to this foregore the remain- 
ing whale lines, of which there are five to each boat, 
are carefully spliced, the result being a line more than 
six hundred fathoms in length, or a little over half a 
mile. A pretty long fishing line; but then, of course, 
it is intended only for the biggest kind of fish, if it 
be right to call a whale a fish. 

This mammoth fishing line is then carefully flaked 
down in the stern sheets in a compartment made for 
the purpose, with the exception of about one hun- 
dred fathoms, which are flaked down in a box in the 
centre of the boat called the “ foreline beck,” and of the 
“ foregore,” which is coiled in a small tub or kid in 
the very bows of the boat right alongside the gun. 
The proper disposition of the line is a matter of the 
highest importance, for if this should be carelessly 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


79 


done, and the line should happen to catch when the 
harpoon is fast in a whale and the monster is “sound- 
ing” — that is, diving into the depths of the ocean — 
there is no telling what the consequences might be; 
but the chances are ten to one that the big whale boat 
would be instantly dragged under water as though it 
were a feather. Consequently, while the men, in their 
anxiety to be first at the finish, worked with all their 
speed, yet it could be easily seen that there was no 
actual haste. Nothing was slurred over, but every- 
thing was done thoroughly ; for might not their own 
lives pay the penalty for slighted work? Frank Lewis 
aided his men by hand as well as by voice, and thus 
working away together they got the lead of all the 
other boats, Harold’s shrill shout of “First — first! 
AYe’ve finished first!” presently announcing that the 
second mate’s boat had won, whereat the others 
cheered heartily, and offered him their congratulations ; 
for it is considered an omen of good luck to have 
your boat ready first. 

The liues having been satisfactorily stowed, the 
next proceeding was to prepare the whale-boat’s arma- 
ment, which is quite an extensive one. First there 
were the two harpoons — the harpoon gun, which is 
fixed on a swivel on the bows so that it can be turned 
in any direction, and the hand harpoon, that lies 
beside the gun, the handle resting on a “mik” or 
crutch, ready for immediate use. These harpoons are 
made of the softest Swedish iron, so that they may 


80 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


readily bend without snapping, and the distortions 
they sometimes undergo when in use are really won- 
derful. Each of the “ Narwhal’s ” harpoons had the 
steamer’s name plainly stamped upon the shank, so 
that if the whale should happen to get away, trailing 
the broken line after him, and they should happen 
to meet him again, there would be no difficulty in 
recognizing him. Besides the two harpoons, each 
boat carried four lances for killing the whale after it 
has been struck, a tail knife used for cutting holes in 
the tail and fins of the dead whale, a hatchet for 
severing the line, — should that be necessary, — a fog 
horn for signaling in event of being caught in a 
fog, two boat hooks, two small buckets for pouring 
water over the lines when they are running out very 
fast to prevent their setting the boat on fire in conse- 
quence of excessive friction, and a number of other 
things that need not be detailed. 

To stow all these things neatly and securely away 
in a small boat, bearing always in mind how abso- 
lutely important it was, not only that everything should 
have a place, but that it should stay in that place, and 
not get in the way of the lines, no matter how much 
knocking about the boat might have, was a task re- 
quiring skill as well as care, and the day was fast 
declining before all necessary arrangements were com- 
pleted, and the last of the boats had been made ready 
and swung into its place at the davits. 

“ There, now,” said Captain Marling, with a sigh of 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


81 


satisfaction, “ we’ve only got to put up the crow’s nest 
and we’re ready for business.” 

The putting up of the crow’s nest did not take 
long, it being simply a large cask which is triced up 
to the main-royal mast-head, the lower end resting on 
an iron jack, and the upper part being bound to the 
mast by an iron strap. In the bottom is a small trap 
batch, just large enough for a man to crawl through. 
He then shuts it down and stands upon it. As the 
crow’s nest is a very exposed, cold place, it is lined 
with furs to protect its occupant; and so long as the 
vessel is on the fishing ground, the cask has always 
somebody in it during the day, sweeping the sea with 
his telescope in search of signs of whales. 

No sooner had the crow’s nest been hung up on 
high than Harold was possessed with a wild ambition 
to get into it. As it was nearing dusk, Lewis tried to 
dissuade him, saying that it would be a better time in 
the morning. But Harold was not to be put off, so 
his father making no objection, he proceeded to run up 
the rigging until he reached the 1 cask, and then found 
little difficulty in shoving up the hatch and creeping 
tli rough to the inside. 

il Hurrah, boys! This is the place forme!” he 
cried triumphantly, as from his cosy citadel he looked 
down upon the deck beneath, where the men were 
still moving busily about. It was a very interesting 
picture that lay spread out before him. Right under- 
neath was the noble steamer, cutting her way through 
F 


82 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


the blue water, already settling down for its night’s 
rest; and so smooth was her progress, that Harold 
could faintly feel the throb of her engines, even up in 
his lofty eyrie. Far away to the right, a dim dark 
line showed where the land broke the otherwise clear 
horizon, and here and there level patches of white, or 
tall fantastic forms indicated the presence of the ice, 
which is indeed never entirely absent from these quar- 
ters. So widely scattered was this ice as to offer no 
obstacle to the progress of the “ Narwhal,” and at the 
rate the steamer was now going she ought to reach 
Rowe’s Welcome by sunrise. 

Seeing Patsv emerging from the companion way, 
Harold hailed him with a loud “ Hello, Patsy ! how 
is this for high?” which made the bov look up in a 
puzzled way, for he had been below while the crow’s 
nest was being put in position, and so knew nothing 
about it ; but he had no difficulty in making out who 
called him, and shouted back, “Well done, Master 
Harold ! What’s the weather like up there?” 

“ Splendid!” replied Harold. “ Won’t you come 
up ? Come along ! ” 

Now Patsv was even more expert in the rigging 
than Harold, and it seemed but a few seconds before 
he reached the bottom of the cask and knocked for 
admittance; on attempting to join Harold inside, 
however, he found himself somewhat at a loss. 
Harold was standing upon the little trap door, 
which could not therefore be opened, and there was not 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


83 


room enough in the crow’s nest for him to stand aside 
and allow the trap to be pushed up. After consult- 
ing together awhile, the boys hit upon a plan which 
successfully met the difficulty. Harold climbed up 
to the top of the cask and sat upon the edge, holding 
on bv the tips of the mast, which projected a little 
distance beyond it, and then, the coast being clear, 
Patsy had no difficulty in effecting an entrance, so 
that in a moment or two the boys were standing 
together in the crow’s nest. 

It was, of course, pretty close quarters, but they 
did not mind that. They had the same delightful 
sensation as is experienced by travelers who have ac- 
complished the ascent of some lofty mountain peak, 
and they promised themselves frequent trips to this 
exalted position. The sea had by this time fallen into 
almost complete calm, and although the dusk was draw- 
ing nearer, they could see a good distance from the 
steamer. They were, of course, sharply on the look- 
out for whales, and erelong their search was rewarded 
by the discovery of something large and black swim- 
ming rapidly in the direction of the “Narwhal.” 
Instantly they raised the cry of “ A whale ! a whale ! 
we see a whale!” and Lewis, who was at this time 
walking the quarter-deck, it being evening watch, 
shouted back to them eagerly : “ Where is he? Point 
him out.” 

“There! there!” replied Harold, indicating the 
spot with his outstretched arm, while Lewis brought 


84 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


his glass to bear upon it. Lewis looked long and care- 
fully, and then calling to him one of the men they 
had taken on board at St. John’s, asked him to look. 
Then they had a short consultation together, the boys 
watching them impatiently, and wondering why orders 
were not given for the boats to be lowered right 
away. But evidently no such orders were to be given, 
for shaking their heads in a way that implied it was 
not necessary to do anything, the men parted, and 
Lewis called up to Harold: “Only a bottle-nose, 
Hal ! Not worth going after.” 

“Only a bottle-nose?” exclaimed Harold, turning 
inquiringly to Patsy. “What does he mean?” 

“ Faith, I don’t know,” replied Patsv. “ But, Pm 
thinking that if I don’t get back to my work, the 
steward will be after me with a stick.” And so saying, 
the active little chap dropped down through the hatch, 
and made his way to the deck, with the ease of a 
monkey in his native woods. 

Harold intended to follow him at once, but a move- 
ment on the water near the ship attracted his attention, 
and he lingered on until at length darkness closed 
around him, and Lewis shouting up to him, “Sav, 
Hal; are you going to stay up there much longer? 
Hadn’t you better come down?” he prepared to 
return to the deck. 

No sooner had he started than he began to regret 
having postponed his descent so long. It was 
easy enough gettting into the crow’s nest in broad 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FEOES. 


85 


daylight, but it was a very different matter get- 
ting out of it again in the dark. Lifting up the 
hatch, he cautiously dropped his feet through, and 
felt around for the first rung of the ladder beneath. 
But somehow or other, he seemed unable to find it. 
After several unavailing efforts, he drew himself back 
into the cask, feeling not a little nervous. His chief 
difficulty was that he had to hold the trap up while 
crawling through, and it was a pretty heavy affair, 
being almost the full size of the bottom of the cask, 
and strongly put together. He felt very much in- 
clined to call to Lewis to come up and help him out 
of his difficulty. But against this his pride rebelled. 
Patsy had gotten down all right, why shouldn’t he ? 
He would try again. Moving very carefully, he once 
more dropped through, holding to the cask with his 
right hand, and holding up the trap with his left. 
After feeling around for a moment, and stretching his 
leg out as far as it could go, he succeeded in touching 
the ladder rung, and with a thrill of relief dropped 
upon it. But as ill-luck would have it, his foot 
slipped off the rung, the whole weight of his body 
came upon his right arm, and instinctively he let go 
the trap that was held up by his left, and grasped the 
bottom of the cask with both hands. The heavy 
hatch thus released, fell at once, striking him a cruel 
blow upon the top of the head, and forcing his head 
down between his shoulders. The blow was very 
severe, and but for the soft, thick cap, that partially 


86 


UP AMOXG THE ICE-FLOES. 


protected his skull, it would certainly have stunued the 
boy. As it was, it made him feel giddy and faint, 
and only by that supreme effort which imminent dan- 
ger can call forth, was he able to retain his hold and 
save himself from being dashed to the deck. More 
than this he could not do, and in that perilous position 
he hung, realizing his danger, but powerless to rescue 
himself from it, while he heard, as in a dream, Lewis’ 
voice calling up from below, “ What are you about 
up there, Hal? Going to stay all night? Come 
down, or your father will think something's happened 
to you.” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


AMONG THE MONSTERS. 

H AROLD’S long delay in coming down from the 
crow’s nest made Lewis feel somewhat anxious, 
and when there was no response to his call, he thought 
it best to go up at once, and see what was the matter. 
Accordingly, he hastened up the rigging with the ease 
of a well-trained sailor, and the first thing he knew 
his face came in contact with a pair of heels, that 
dangled downward in a very strange fashion. 

“Good heavens! what’s the meaning of this?” he 
exclaimed, feeling about to find out where the rest of 
Harold’s body was. “ What’s the matter with you, 
Hal ? ” he cried out. 

“I’m caught here, and I can’t move,” answered 
Harold, faintly. 

“ Oh, is that all,” replied Lewis, in a tone of relief. 
“ I’ll soon let you loose. Just hold on a minute 
longer.” Then looking downward into the abyss of 
darkness below, he shouted : “ Ahoy ! on deck there !” 
“ Aye, aye, sir ! ” answered one of the watch. 

“ Just bring me up a lantern here, and look sharp 
about it,” commanded Lewis. 

The man hastened to obey, and in a few moments 
the welcome light came swinging up the mast. It at 

87 


88 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


once made the situation clear, and while the sailor 
held it, Lewis had no difficulty in extricating Harold 
from his perilous position, and as the boy was already 
recovering from the effects of the blow, the descent to 
the deck was easily accomplished. 

“ That was a funny sort of a scrape for you to get 
into,” said the second mate, when they were on firm 
planks again. “How on earth did you manage it?” 

Harold described just how it happened. 

“Humph!” said Lewis. “We must have that 
hatch fixed so that it will stay up when anybody’s 
climbing in or getting out. We can’t have it playing 
pranks like that.” 

Captain Marling looked a little grave at first when 
Harold told him of his adventure; but when after a 
careful examination of the boy’s head by the surgeon, 
no further injury than a big bump was discovered, and 
Harold assured him that he was really all right now, 
his countenance cleared, as he said : 

“ Oh, well ; you can’t learn to be a sailor, and espe- 
cially a whaler, without taking plenty of hard knocks, 
my boy, so we won’t say anything more about this 
one. And now to bed, Hal ; there’ll be plenty to do and 
see to-morrow, if fortune favors us.” 

The prospects were bright when Captain Marling 
came on deck next morning, and he looked the very 
picture of good humor as he moved briskly about, 
making sure that everything was in perfect readiness 
to go in chase of the first cetacean that might come 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


89 


into sight. The “ Narwhal” was moving at a moder- 
ate speed through the wide waters of Rowe’s Welcome. 
The dav was clear, and not too warm. The wind 
played gently over the blue plain, which was dotted 
here and there with floes and fragments of ice that 
offered no obstacle whatever to the steamer’s advance. 
A more auspicious day could not have been desired, 
and every heart on board beat high with hope. Aloft 
in the crow’s nest one of the Newfoundlanders, glass 
in hand, scanned the sea carefully, while those on deck 
looked up at him every moment, impatiently awaiting 
the signal that their prey was in sight. 

In this way the morning hours passed, and still the 
occupant of the crow’s nest kept silence, until those 
below began to grow weary and restless. The engines 
were no longer used, as the slightest noise made bv 
the screw, or, in fact, by anything under water, would 
be sure to scare the warv and watchful whale, were he 
in the neighborhood. But with plenty of canvas set, 
the “ Narwhal” bowled along, tacking hither and 
thither so as to cover as much of the fishing ground as 
possible. 

At length, as noon drew near, the long-awaited and 
welcome cry of “ A fish ! A fish ! ” came down from 
the lookout; and instantly all was excitement on 
board. The maintopsail was backed, and two boats 
quickly lowered and sent in chase. The second mate’s 
was one of the two, and Harold begged very hard to 
be allowed to go in it. But his father thought he had 


90 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


better stay on board ; so he had to be content to 
watch the proceedings from the crosstree, into which 
he climbed as soon as the boats left the ship. 

Palling with all their might, the sinewy oarsmen 
sent their graceful boats leaping over the waves toward 
the whale, which was in full sight, not more than a 
quarter of a mile distant from the ship. Before they 
were half-way to it the monster sank, causing Harold 
to utter a groan of disappointment. But the men in 
the boats knew better; and, spreading out so as to 
cover plenty of ground, they rowed on more slowly, 
awaiting the whale’s reappearance. The minutes 
passed while everybody fairly trembled with excite- 
ment ; and then, at last, the black, rounded mass of 
the whale’s back was seen to rise close to the boat on 
which Frank Lewis was bow oarsman and harpooneer. 
The others held their breath as the handsome second 
mate laid his oar fore and aft, and rose to handle his 
gun. Quick, yet cautious, was every movement. The 
great musket was pointed at its mighty target. For 
an instant Lewis glanced along the barrel ; then there 
came a flash, a puff* of smoke, a moment of intense 
anxiety, followed bv a joyful cry from the crow’s nest 
of “ A fall ! A fall ! ” that was echoed from the suc- 
cessful boat, making it beyond doubt that Frank Lewis 
was fast to a fish. 

Immediately the steamer’s deck was alive with men, 
all frantically shouting, “A fall! A fall!” — that 
being the whaler’s term to designate a harpooneer’s 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 91 

success in striking his huge game — and rushing to the 
boats, to make ready for instant departure. 

Captain Marling ordered four more boats to be low- 
ered, instructing them to spread out in different direc- 
tions, so that some one of them might be near the 
whale when it rose to blow, it having, as usual, 
“ sounded” the moment it received the keen harpoon. 
The rapidity with which his orders were carried out 
spoke volumes for the discipline prevailing on board 
his ship. Each man knew his boat, and his place in 
that boat. There was the liveliest possible bustle, but 
no confusion. Splash ! splash ! splash ! splash ! and 
one after another the four graceful boats were dropped 
from the davits. 

“ Stand to your oars ! Give way ! ” cried their 
captain. And off they went in the direction of Lewis’ 
boat, upon which the “jack” — the flag — was now 
flying, in token of his success. Spreading out widely, 
their harpooneers kept a diligent lookout for the mon- 
ster below, while the boat that had started at the same 
time as the second mate’s drew up alongside of her, iu 
order to bend on its lines, should that be necessary. 

“ There she blows ! ” cried the men in one of the 
boats presently. And, sure enough, the whale rose 
suddenly to the surface, not more than a hundred yards 
away, and sent up into the air a fountain of water 
whose reddish tinge showed that Lewis’ harpoon had 
reached a vital part; and then, no doubt becoming 
aware of the presence of the boats, it dived into the 


92 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


depths again, the lines running out at a rate that made 
the bollard head smoke. 

“ Confound her! She’s making for the ice!” ex- 
claimed Lewis, in tones of mingled apprehension and 
irritation, as the movement of the lines showed that, 
after sinking to a certain depth, the stricken monster 
had turned in the direction of an immense icepack that 
lay to the northward, and was hastening toward this 
shelter at railway speed. A turn was now taken in 
the line, so that instead of running out it held fast, 
towing the boat along, with her bow almost on a level 
with the water. Hatchet in hand, the second mate 
stood ready to sever the tightly-stranded rope the in- 
stant it threatened to drag the boat under altogether. 
The other boats followed as best they could, and pres- 
, eutly they were all brought to a stop bv reaching the 
edge of the pack, under which the whale had dived, 
intending, no doubt, to come up again in the first water 
space it could discover. 

As luck would have it, the breeze that had been slight 
all the morning now freshened considerably, causing 
the heavy floes which formed the outer edge of the 
pack to tumble about in a way that was full of danger 
to the frail boats, which would be crushed like egg- 
shells were the ice to nip them. So severely were 
they being handled by the floes, some of which were 
drawing over twenty feet of water, that grave fears 
were entertained for their safety, and on more than 
one occasion they were only saved from being crushed 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


93 


by the prompt action of the crew, who, jumping 
hastily out, would haul them up on the ice. 

Observing their danger, Captain Marling having 
already steam up on the “Narwhal,” pushed her into 
the midst of the loose heaving pack, and with no little 
difficulty picked up the boats, one after the other, the 
last being the boat that was fast to the fish, from 
which, by dint of considerable trouble, — for the whale 
was still taking the line, — the line was transferred to 
the steamer. No less than ten lines, or twelve hundred 
fathoms — that is, about a mile and a quarter of rope 
— had been run out by this time, and the captain began 
to feel anxious lest, owing to the bothersome ice, not 
only the prize, but a good part of these precious lines 
would be lost also. 

However, it was no time for despair, and, hoping for 
the best, all hands manned the line, even Harold and 
Patsy lending their young strength, determined to bring 
the fish home, pull away the line, or draw the har- 
poon. Everybody did his best, for was there not a 
prize worth five thousand dollars at least at the other 
end of the line ? And had not the captain promised 
to share the proceeds of the voyage in an unusually 
liberal manner among the crew, since not one of them 
was be omitted in the division of the spoils? 

Then came a marvelous exhibition of the enormous 
power of this leviathan of the deep. That it should 
tow a light whale boat along without diminishing any 
of its speed was nothing wonderful ; but now it was 


94 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


fast to a powerful steamer of full six hundred tons, 
weighted with engines and heavy stores, and yet, so 
vast was it strength, that this huge mass was towed at 
a rapid rate through the pack, colliding with and 
bumping against the great floes that continually 
obstructed its progress. 

In spite of the constant danger from the ice, the 
prospect began to brighten. Although a tremendous 
strain had been brought to bear upon the line, both it 
and the harpoon held ; more than half of it had been 
hauled in, and the men were singing cheerfully, and 
already counting up their money. The captain’s face 
had lost its anxious expression, and beamed with hope 
instead, while Frank Lewis’ shone with pride because of 
his good fortune in being the first to get a fish. Hand 
over hand, yard by yard, the tough line came dripping 
on board, as the big vessel bumped through the ice in 
the wake of her strange tugboat. Three-fourths of it at 
least was now coiled up safely on deck, and the strain 
upon it seemed to be slackening somewhat as though the 
whale was beginning to tire of its extraordinary exer- 
tions, when there came a sudden pause, then a mightv 
rush ; the line ran out again at such a rate, that, think- 
ing to check it, Lewis ordered a turn to be taken 
around the capstan ; the steamer’s speed greatlv in- 
creased, when, all at once, a great floe came right 
across her path. It was too wide to avoid. There was 
no alternative but to charge straight upon it. With 
a crash that shook her stout frame from stem to stern, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


95 


and sent Harold, who had been standing in the 
bow, an intensely interested spectator, headlong to 
the deck, — raising a laugh among the sailors, for he 
was not hurt a bit, — the “ Narwhal ” struck the floe, 
crushed through it nearly one-half her length, and 
then stopped dead. Instantly the line strained as tight 
as a fiddle string. 

“ Ease it ! ease it, for your lives ! ” shouted Lewis, 
who at once saw the danger. But it was too late. 
There was a quick, sudden jerk, a sharp snap. Amid 
deep growls of disappointment, the line fell slack, run- 
ning in easily as the men once more began to haul 
upon it. The harpoon had drawn, and after four 
hours of plucky fighting against its human foes, the 
mighty cetacean had come off victorious, bearing with 
it a deep and painful wound in token of the conflict. 

The disappointment on board the “Narwhal” was 
very keen. From Captain Marling down to Patsy 
Kehoe, no one attempted to disguise his feelings. 
The lost whale was of the largest size, and would have 
been a very valuable prize ; and they had worked so 
hard for it. But it was “ no use crying over spilt 
milk.” The whale was gone, in all probability never 
to be seen again. Yet there was consolation in the 
fact that it had not taken any of the lines with it, 
although it had bent and twisted the harpoon so as to 
render it entirely useless. 

Late in the afternoon the steamer managed to extri- 
cate herself from the ice pack which had so provok- 


96 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ingjjf interfered with her pursuit of the whale, and 
being once more put under canvas, made her way into 
a regular bight formed by the ice, where she “lay-to,” 
as it seemed a very promising fishing ground. In 
both cabin and forecastle the talk that evening was of 
nothing but whale. In the latter place, the men were 
disposed to take a gloomy view of things, considering 
it ill luck to lose their first fish ; but in the cabin 
Captain Mailing’s habitual cheeriness had by this time 
reasserted itself, and the prospect was discussed with 
very great composure. Harold, of course, listened to 
everything that was said with open-mouthed interest, 
asking a question whenever he could get a chance, 
which, however, w r as not often, for the talk was very 
brisk ; while Patsy made every possible excuse for 
lingering in the cabin, in order that he might lose 
as little as possible of what was being said. The 
Newfoundlanders, both of whom had been to Rowe’s 
Welcome and other Northern fishing grounds on pre- 
vious occasions, told some thrilling tales of their 
experiences with whales. According to their own 
accounts, they had been the victims of about every 
mishap that could happen to a whaler. Their boats 
had been smashed into splinters by a stroke of the 
monster’s tail, or drawn right under water through 
the line failing to run out fast enough, or been crushed 
between colliding floes, and yet they had come off 
ecathless and able to boast of at least a dozen whales 
apiece as trophies of their skill with the harpoon. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 97 

The more Harold heard of this the more it firrfl his 
ambition to go out in one of the boats the next time 
a whale was sighted, and he plead so hard for per- 
mission, that when the second mate came to his sup- 
port, and promised to be personally responsible for 
him if allowed to go in his boat, Captain Marling at 
last gave awav, and made the eager boy’s heart jump 
for joy by saying: “Very well, Lewis; you may 
take him with you. You see that he keeps out of 
mischief.” 



G 


CHAPTER IX. 

A GOOD DAY’S WORK. 



,URING the next week whales were seen con- 


U stantlv, and the deck of the “ Narwhal ” was a 
scene of bustle and excitement from daybreak till 
dark, the whole fleet of eight boats being at times sent 
out in pursuit of the great creatures that showed them- 
selves in the distance. But so far, success had held 
aloof. The whales seemed unusually wary, and after 
a hard pull of two or three miles a boat would get 
perhaps almost within striking distance, only to have 
its intended victim make off under the ice, where pur- 
suit was impossible. All sailors are more or less 
superstitious, and if there is one class of them more 
superstitious than any other, it is the whaler. 

Accordingly, they set themselves diligently to seek 
out the cause of their ill luck, and resorted to many 
absurd expedients in their endeavors to avert the evil 
chance. As one day followed another without bring- 
ing better fortune, they began to show signs of depres- 
sion. causing Captain Marling to feel as anxious to 
break this spell of failure for the sake of his men as 
for his own sake. 

At length the tide turned. Pushing her way 
through the ice, the “ Narwhal ” reached a wide bay 


98 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


99 


or inlet, which was entirely clear of pack or floe, and 
here the captain felt sure there would be fish to take. 
Two boats were ordered to keep “ on bran ” — that is, 
manned and ready to start off* at a moment’s notice, 
the steamer being brought to a standstill, and the 
boats drifting about in her immediate neighborhood. 
Captain Marling himself spent much of his time in 
the crow’s nest, Harold often being with him, as he 
swept the circle of his vision with his glass, alert to 
discover the first sign of the presence of whales. One 
fine, clear morning, when father and son were thus 
employed, the captain happened to be looking due 
north, while Harold was looking due south, when 
Harold suddenly grasped his arm, and, pulling him 
around, pointed away off, about three miles distant, ex- 
claiming, breathlessly : “ There, father ! what’s that ? ” 

Captain Marling brought his glass to bear upon the 
spot to which Harold pointed, and the moment he 
looked, his face became radiant, and turning toward 
the boats “ on bran,” he shouted, joyfully : “ A fish ! 
a fish ! a whole school of them, right off to the south! 
Make ready every boat on board ! ” 

The excitement that followed was indescribable. 
Every man on board the “ Narwhal ” was in motion, 
and to an unpracticed eye it might have seemed a scene 
of hopeless confusion. But this was not the case at 
all. Each man knew his place and his work. The 
confused crowd soon resolved itself into groups 
gathered about each boat, and with a quickness hardly 


100 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


credible, the boats were dropped into the water, the 
men into their seats, and with a hearty “ Good luck to 
you, my boys,” they were off to meet the approaching 
whales. 

In the stern of the second mate’s boat sat Harold, 
scarcely able to keep his seat for the fever of excite- 
ment that possessed him. The instant his father had 
confirmed his hope that the black spots far to the 
south were possible prey, he had slipped out of the 
crow’s nest, and not missing his footing this time, 
scuttled down to the deck, where he posted himself in 
close proximity to Frank Lewis, determined that the 
boat should not go off without him. 

The whales were coming directly toward the ship, 
there being at least a dozen of the monsters, plough- 
ing their way through the water rippled by a gentle 
breeze, and sending up little fountains from the blow- 
holes in their mighty heads. As they would soon 
become aware of the steamer’s presence, and in all 
probability take to the depths at once, it was necessary 
to meet them before they came too near, and, accord- 
ingly, the men bent to their oars with an energy 
that called for every ounce of muscle in their sturdy 
frames. Yet not a word was spoken. Neither did 
the oars, vigorously as they were being pulled, make 
the slightest sound beyond a faint splashing, for thick 
thrum mats lay on the gunwale between the thole 
pins. These precautions were necessary because of 
the exceeding quick hearing of the whales. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


101 


Dividing into two groups of four each, the boats 
spread out so as to allow the procession of whales to 
pass between them, thus affording the best possible 
opportunities for attack, and thus they shot over the 
waves toward their gigantic prey. 

Lewis’ boat led the group to the right, and Harold 
felt as though he could hardly breathe as they drew 
nearer and nearer to the big fish, without their pres- 
ence ..being observed by them. The steersman stood 
high in his place, one hand grasping the great oar, to 
every movement of which the swift boat responded 
like a thing of life, and the other keeping time to the 
strokes of the rowers. A few minutes more, and at a 
signal from him, Lewis drew in his oar, laid it care- 
fully fore and aft, then turned his face toward the bow, 
and put his hands upon the harpoon gun. They 
were now almost within striking distance. A few 
strokes more, and the critical moment would come. 
The oarsmen strained yet a little harder ; the boat 
fairly leaped over the water. The second mate having 
given one sharp glance along the line to make sure 
that all was clear, pointed the gun at the unconscious 
whale ; there was an instant’s pause, then a loud report, 
and then the glad cry of “ A fall ! a fall ! ” rang, out 
over the waves, for Frank Lewis’ luck had once more 
asserted itself, and he was fast to a fine big whale. 

But the luck was not with him only. Scarcely had 
his shout of triumph readied the ship, when it was 
followed bv the same inspiring sound from others of 


102 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


the boats, until, before the school of terrified whales 
sank out of sight, no less than four boats were fast, 
and the men of the “ Narwhal ” were in for a most 
exciting and exhausting struggle. This time the fates 
seemed altogether favorable. The bay was entirely 
clear of ice, only a gentle breeze stirred the sur- 
face of the blue waters. The whale hunters had the 
whole dav before them, and no reason appeared why 
they should not make prizes of all four of the huge 
creatures in which their harpoons were now fastened. 
Two of the fish were rather small, but the other two 
— one of them being Frank Lewis’ — were of great 
size, and worth, perhaps, almost ten thousand dollars 
apiece. 

The instant the whale to which the second mate 
was fast felt the keen harpoon boring into its vitals, it 
threw up its tail and dived into the depths, the line 
running out at such a rate that the smoke arose in 
clouds from the bollard head, half shrouding Lewis, 
who, lance in hand, stood up in the bow ready to give 
his captive its coup de grace so soon as he could get 
near enough. The men drew in their oars, and the 
light boat fled like a shadow over the waters, as the 
stricken monster vainly sought safety in flight. So 
desperate was its efforts to free itself, that nearly a 
mile of line was taken before the running-out ceased. 
Harold’s heart was palpitating with delight. He 
thought that in all his life he had never experienced 
anything half so glorious as this, being towed along 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


103 


at the speed of a lightning express train by a giant 
fish. Not a mite of fear or nervousness had he. He 
had no time for that. The struggle was too absorb- 
ing to allow him to think of anything else. 

“ My ! but this is grand ! ” he exclaimed to the 
steersman. “ I never had so much fun in mv life.” 

The steersman gave him a pleasant smile, to show 
that he heard him, but was too engrossed in his work 
to make any reply, which, however, made little differ- 
ence to Harold. 

“Take in line,” called out Lewis; and with the speed 
and skill that comes only from long practice, the men 
drew in the dripping line, and coiled it awav in its 
nest, ready to run out again should it be required. 
Fathom after fathom it came swiftly in, until at least 
one-half of it had been recovered. 

“ Stand by now, and be ready to give wav,” was 
Lewis’ next order ; and the men put their oars in posi- 
tion, while all waited with bated breath for the reap- 
pearance of the whale, which must soon come to the 
surface to breathe. One, two, three minutes passed, 
and then suddenly, so close to the boat that the com- 
motion it caused set it to rocking, the huge black, glis- 
ten in<r back of the whale rose out of the water, and a 
stream of water deeply dyed with blood shot up in 
the air. 

“ There she blows ! There she blows ! Give away 
on your left there, hard ! ” shouted Lewis, grasping 
the long, keen lance in his right hand, and round 


104 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


swept the boat in the direction he desired. “ Now, 
then, altogether,” he cried again. The men bent to 
their oars. The stout ash blades bent beneath the 
strain upon them, and the boat almost sprang out of 
the water in response. Three mighty strokes, and 
Lewis was close beside the whale’s forefin. For an 
instant the polished lance flashed in the sunlight, then 
it sank up to its haft in the soft flesh. 

“ Back water, for your lives ! ” shouted the second 
mate, dropping down into the bottom of the boat, and 
the oarsmen sent the boat backward. They did so 
just in time. Maddened by this fresh attack, the 
whale lifted its terrible tail high in the air, and 
brought it down with awful force upon the very spot 
where the boat had been the moment before. The 
spray from the blow drenched every one on board, and 
the boat rocked as though in a whirlpool. 

“ No, you don’t,” cried Lewis, joyously. “ That 
was a close shave. But a miss is as good as a mile.” 

As if disgusted at its failure to crush its tormentors, 
the whale sent up a spout that was nearly all blood 
this time, and then “ sounded” once more. But evi- 
dently its end was near. The line did not run out at 
all so fast as before, and only a few hundred yards 
had been taken ere the creature returned to the surface 
a short distance from the boat. 

“ We’ve got our fish right enough this time,” said 
Lewis, smiling broadly. “ We’ll just stand off until 
she ‘ kicks the bucket.’ ” 


UI> AMONG THE ICE-FLOES; 


105 


For a few minutes the whale lay still upon the water, 
as though resting, and the tired men were glad to rest 
also. Then came the final flurry. The huge frame 
trembled all over, the deadly tail was lifted and 
brought down upon the water with resounding blows, 
spout after spout of dark heart’s blood incarnadined 
the sea, and then all was still. 

“ Pull up, now, men. It’s all over/’ ordered Lewis, 
after waiting a little while to make sure it was the 
case. 

The boat drew alongside of the mighty carcass, a hole 
was cut in each fin, the fin tow passed through them, 
and the big fins lashed tight to the sides, so as to offer 
no obstruction to towing. The tail was then secured 
to the stern of the boat, and the prize in this manner 
towed to the steamer, which, happily, was not far 
away. 

When they got time to look about them, those on 
the second mate’s boat saw with delight that one of 
the other boats had already killed its fish, and was 
making toward the ship, while the other two were 
still fast, with good prospects of like success. 

The towing of such an unwieldy prize was no easy 
task, but they had only half a mile to go, and their 
hearts were light ; so with cheery songs they tugged 
away, and in due time were alongside of the “ Narwhal.” 
Approaching at the port side, the fish was brought 
between the fore and main rigging, and made fast by 
a rope around its tail that passed through a block on 


106 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


the foremast, and another rope through a hole in the 
under jaw, that was rove through a tackle on the 
mainmast. The whale was on its back, and the right 
fin. which was next the ship, was dragged taut up, and 
secured by a chain to the upper deck. A stout wire 
rope, stretching from the mainmast to the foremast, 
and known as the “ blubber guy,” held four large 
blocks, through which were rove the fore and main 
<; spek” tackles, whose use was for hoisting on board the 
huge layers of blubber, some of which would weigh 
between one and two tons. The “kent” or cant 
tackle having been rigged, the object of which is to 
turn the fish over as it is being flinched, everything 
was in readiness for this interesting operation. The 
men were duly refreshed from the ship’s stores, and 
then the work of flinching the whale began. 

Harold looked forward to this with intense curiosity, 
and posted himself in his favorite eyrie in the main 
cross-tree, where he could overlook everything with- 
out getting in anybody’s way. He did not expect it 
to be as interesting as the chase of the whale, but it 
could hardly help being well worth seeing, and such, 
indeed, it proved to be. 

In the port main rigging was the captain, superin- 
tending the whole business; at the gangway stood 
Peter Strum, with eye watchful to see that every com- 
mand of the captain was minutely carried out. Upon 
the upturned belly of the whale jumped the eight 
harpooneers, their boots being armed with iron spikes, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


107 


to prevent their slipping, and at it they went with 
their keen blubber spades and knives. 

First of all, a strip of blubber, nearly a yard in 
width, was cut from the neck, just abaft the fin; and 
a large hole being cut in the end, the strap of the cant 
tackle was passed through it, and by this means the 
fish could be turned over as desired. With spade and 
knife the men cut big strips of blubber from the belly, 
which were, one by one, hoisted on board the steamer, 
where they were received by the boat steerers, who 
with long knives cut them into pieces about two feet 
square, and passed these pieces over to the line mana- 
gers, whose work was to seize them with pick haaks, 
or pickies, as they are called for short, and send them 
shooting through a small hole in the main hatchway 
to the deck below. Here they were taken charge of 
bv the “ skeeman,” and by another man, oddly de- 
nominated as the “ king,” and stowed away between 
decks until a favorable opportunity should come for 
the final operation of (t making off.” 

When the blubber had all been removed, the pre- 
cious whalebone, worth at least twelve thousand 
dollars a ton, and of which the whale would yield a 
good part of a ton by itself, was carefully detached 
from the vast mouth, and lifted on board by special 
tackle. Then the great tail was cut off for a purpose 
that will be afterward explained, and thus stripped 
of everything of value, the “kreng” or carcass was 
released, disappearing with a plunge into the green 


108 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


water, which it turned to blood for some distance, while 
the men sent up a lusty cheer by way of a farewell. 

The men had worked hard and well, only two 
hours being required to dispose of the first whale, and 
were allowed a brief rest, and another “ lunch all 
around ” before attacking the second, for the “ Nar- 
whal” had been wonderfully fortunate, three out of 
the four whales having been secured, the two big 
fellows and one of the small ones, and the day’s work 
would “pan out” at least thirty thousand dollars, so 
that it is safe to say that from Captain Marling down 
there was not a merrier — nor a dirtier — crew afloat 
than toiled and laughed and joked and shouted on 
board the steamer all through that long midsummer 
afternoon. 

Harold found abundant amusement for a long time 
in watching all the bustle and noise, and then 
after it became somewhat monotonous he discovered 
another way of entertaining himself, which proved so 
diverting that he felt bound to call Patsy up to share 
it with him. No sooner had the process of flinching 
begun than the steamer was surrounded by hundreds 
of fulmar petrels, or “ mollies” as the whalers call 
them, noisy, greedy, quarrelsome birds, in appearance 
much resembling the ordinary seagull, that clamored 
and fought over the numerous pieces of kreng and 
blubber wherewith the water about the ship was 
liberally sprinkled. So fearless did their insatiable 
voracity render them, that they would even alight 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


109 


upon the whale within reach of the men, who would 
often catch one of them and fling it back into the 
midst of the flock swimming eagerly alongside, pro- 
ducing a disturbance that very soon subsided. They 
were not worth killing, and Captain Marling would 
not suffer Harold to shoot them ; but they were a great 
nuisance, so he had no objection to his making a mark 
of them in throwing. Accordingly, the two lads brought 
up a bucket of small lumps of coal, and had fine fun 
seeing which could make the best shots, using the coal 
for ammunition. The “mollies” were pretty cute, and 
could dodge the missies with good success, but their 
voracity often betrayed them, for they would run the 
risk of being hit rather than lose some choice morsel 
upon which they had decided, so that as between hit- 
ting and missing, honors were about even. 

Just before darkness enfolded the ship in its soft 
embrace for the night, the work of flinching was 
finished, and to the accompaniment of a lusty cheer 
that actually terrified the mollies, and went echoing 
out over the still water, the third and last kreng sank 
.into the depths, while the tired men, all smeared with 
blood and blubber, indulged in a grand clear up be- 
fore tumbling into their berths. 

Harold soon followed their example, and his dreams 
were full of whales and mollies and exciting inci- 
dents, but they contained no prophecy of what awaited 
him on the morrow, and in blissful ignorance of 
coming peril he slept as only a weary boy can sleep. 


CHAPTER X. 


IN PERIL. 



HE deck of the “ Narwhal ” presented a most 


-L unattractive sight when Harold stepped out upon 
it the following morning. As the process of “ making 
off” was yet to be performed no attempt had been 
made to clean it up, and it was in an indescribably 
filthy condition, and so slippery that the most exper- 
ienced sailor had to ponder the path of his feet pretty 
carefully if he did not want a roll into the lee scup- 
pers. After the carpenter, however, had sprinkled 
sawdust over the worst places it was not so bad, 
although Harold could not help regretting that it was 
necessary to make such a mess of the steamer that had 
always hitherto been kept as neat as Aunt Etter’s best 


parlor. 


It was a fine calm morning, aud there were no whales 
in sight, so Captain Marling ordered all hands to turn 
to and assist in the business of “making off.” This 
was not so interesting as the work of flinching. 
The great strips ofi blubber weighing from half a ton 
up to two tons apiece were hoisted up on the main 
deck, and there divided into pieces about twelve or 
sixteen pounds weight, by men called “krengers.” 
These pieces were then passed on to the “ skinners,” 


110 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. Ill 

who removed the tough strong skin, and handed them 
over to the choppers, who, using big chunks from the 
whale’s tail as chopping blocks, chopped the large 
pieces up into little ones, and these by means of a 
canvas shoot called a “ lull ” were sent down the 
hatchway into the tanks waiting below to receive 
them, where they would remain until despatched to 
the refinery at the end of the voyage. 

It was an animated and cheerful sight, even if 
not a particularly picturesque one that the main deck 
presented during the u making off.” The precious 
blubber, looking more like huge lumps of cheese than 
anything else, came tumbling up out of the hold, and 
went from krenger to skinner, and from skinner to 
chopper, growing smaller and smaller in its journey, 
until at last, reduced almost to mince meat, it disap- 
peared down the hull, and vanished into the dark iron 
tanks, to be disturbed no more for perhaps many 
months. 

Harold, of course, must needs be krenger, skinner, 
and chopper bv turns, and although he was inevita- 
bly more of a bother than a help, and gruff old Peter 
Strum would have banished him to the stern if he 
could have had his own way Captain Marling 
thought it best that his son should know the business 
of whaling from start to finish, and accordingly the 
boy was given full liberty to do what he pleased in the 
matter. It was little short of a miracle that he did 
not cut off some of his fingers in his frantic efforts to 


112 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


vie with the expert choppers, and he did manage to 
give himself a cut iu his boyish zeal. But it was only 
a slight one which a bit of sticking plaster made all 
right. 

From morning till noon the men toiled away like 
beavers, and were just resuming after having stowed 
away a good dinner, when the cry of “ Whale, ho ! 
Whale, ho !” from the crow’s nest, which all this time 
had never been unoccupied, threw them into a state of 
excitement and confusion. Dropping their knives 
and choppers, they swarmed to the steamer’s side, and 
there, sure enough, not a mile away, two whales could 
be seen spouting and rolling about on the water. 

Captain Marling was at first quite in a quandary. 
There was still sufficient work to occupy his crew for 
the rest of the afternoon, and the “ making off” must 
be finished now that it was begun. One whale on 
board was worth two in the water, and the blubber 
could not be neglected. On the other hand, the whales 
just sighted were evidently fine large ones, and it 
seemed too bad to let them go without having a try at 
them. 

At this juncture the second mate presented himself 
and, touching his cap respectfully, said : 

(i I should like to have a go at those whales, sir. 
Do you think you could spare my boat?” 

The captain hesitated a moment. Lewis’ first whale 
had by this time been safely stowed away in the tanks, 
and he was therefore the best entitled to be sent off 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 113 

again. “ It seems a pity to lose such a good chance, 
sir,” urged Lewis. 

The captain pulled out his watch, glanced up at the 
sky, which was beginning to be clouded over as though 
thick weather was at hand, rubbed his chin thought- 
fully, and at length said : 

“ Very well, Lewis. But I can’t spare more than 
your crew.* So you’ll have to try it alone.” 

“All light, sir,” replied Lewis, his face lighting up 
with joy ; and then he shouted : 

“Crew number one get ready to launch at once.” 

The men singled themselves out from the crowd, 
and while their shipmates looked enviously upon them, 
threw down the tools with which they had been work- 
ing and hastened to launch the boat. Within a few 
minutes after Lewis’ order the boat was off, and rowing 
swiftly in the direction of the whales, which had 
changed their course since first sighted, and were now 
making toward the mouth of the bight in which the 
“Narwhal” was anchored, they having perhaps in 
some way scented the presence of danger. 

Captain Marling’s attention was called off by some- 
thing just as the boat was starting, and he did not 
notice that Harold, taking it for granted he could 
accompany the second mate on his chase, had leaped 
into the stern, where he sat looking very important 
when his father, catching sight of him, exclaimed : 

“Bless the boy! I didn’t know he was going, and 
I don’t want him to go, either.” 

H 


114 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


His first impulse was to order the boat back and 
make Harold get out. But by this time it was full 
one hundred yards away, and to return would have 
caused the loss of too much time, so saying to him- 
self, “ Well, boys will be boys, and that bov is a 
chip of the old block, sure enough,” the captain let 
the boat go on. Many a time during the next few 
days did he bitterly condemn himself for. not carry- 
ing out his first impulse, and vow that could he have 
had a hint of what was to happen he would not have 
let even Lewis go. But beyond the slightly threat- 
ening aspect of the heavens there was no cause for 
apprehension; so comforting himself with the thought 
that Lewis would be all the more careful because of 
having Hal with him, Captain Marling mounted to 
the crow’s nest, whence he could watch the course of 
the boat as it sped on after its prey. 

The whales were now quite a mile and a half dis- 
tant, still keeping close together, and not going very 
fast. With strong, steady strokes, the oarsmen pulled 
their stout blades through the water, and the boat re- 
sponded like a thing of life. The steamer rapidly 
receded, and the big fish drew nearer as the minutes 
passed. Not a word was spoken. A wave of the 
hand from the steersman was the rowers’ guide, and 
presently at a gesture from him Lewis softly drew in 
his oar, and rising from his seat took his position on 
the bow behind the harpoon gun. 

They were now within a hundred yards of the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


115 


larger of the two whales, and the great creature having 
just sent a stream of water whizzing into the air, was 
lying quietly upon the surface, as if taking a rest. 
Unfortunately, it was not in a favorable positiou for 
attack, the tail being turned toward its pursuers, and 
it was necessary to make a kind of detour in order to 
come at it on the right side. This was done with the 
utmost care, and in almost perfect silence, notwithstand- 
ing which, just as Lewis was leveling the gun at the 
monster, it took the alarm, threw up its tail, and 
vanished in a cloud of foam. In the hope of striking 
somewhere the second mate pulled the trigger, but the 
whale was too quick for him, and the result was a 
clean miss. 

“Too bad ! ” exclaimed Lewis. “Another second, 
and we would have had her. Lay to, there, and look 
out for her when she comes up again.” 

No one watched more closely for the cetacean’s re- 
appearance than Harold, and as luck would have it, 
he was the first to discover it. 

“ There she blows ! ” he exclaimed, pointing about 
a quarter of a mile awav to the left. And he had 
made no mistake. The whale rose, spouted, and then 
lay still again, with its full broadside presented to the 
boat. 

“Hurrah! now’s our chance. Give way for all 
you’re worth,” said Lewis ; and away darted the boat. 

This time there was no disappointment. The boat 
shot up to within twenty yards of the fish before its 


116 UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 

presence was suspected. Indeed, the first intimation 
the latter had of its proximity was when the gun went 
off’ with a loud report, and the keen harpoon clove its 
way deep into its vitals. 

“A fall! a fall!” shouted Lewis, triumphantly, 
the men taking up and repeating vigorously the joyful 
words. “ Stand by to see that the lines run out 
clear.” 

Away dashed the wounded whale with tremendous 
speed, taking line at such a rate that the bollard head 
smoked as though it were on fire, and the end must 
soon be reached. Lewis’ face grew grave as the line 
continued to run out and showed no signs of slacken- 
ing. There were but a couple of hundred yards left 
in the coils, and hatchet in hand, he was standing at 
the bow ready to sever the swift-running rope the 
moment the strain became great enough to drag the 
boat under, when happily the line slackened, no more 
ran out, and with a huge sigh of relief Lewis put 
down the hatchet, saying : “ She’s got enough. Stand 
by to take in as fast as you can.” 

The men laid hold of the line and drew it in hand 
over hand, while Lewis watched eagerly for the whale 
to return to the surface. This it did nearly a quarter of 
a mile away, and after taking breath “ sounded” again, 
but went so slowly — for it was evidently hard hit in 
the lungs — that it was not necessary to let any more 
line out; so taking a turn with it around the bollard 
head in such a way that it could be instantly loosened 


UP AMONG T1IE ICE-FLOES. 


117 


if required, Lewis allowed the whale to take the 
boat in tow, feeling sure that it would soon tire of the 
work. 

In this, however, he was mistaken. The whale, 
sore wounded as it was, did not soon tire. On the 
contrary, it kept right on for mile after mile, steering 
straight out into the open water, until the “ Nar- 
whal's” hull begau to sink below the horizon, and 
Harold, glancing back over the course, could not help 
wishing that he was on board the good steamer again, 
instead of being far away from her in a small boat, 
following a maddened monster into unknown perils. 

They were at least five miles from the ship, whose 
heavy spars already looked like delicate sprays of fern 
as they outlined themselves against the horizon, before 
their captive, or rather, captor, paused in its career, 
and once more rose to the surface for breath. The 
watchful Lewis saw his opportunity. The boat was 
rowed swiftly to the creature's side, and a long lance 
driven deep home to its heart ere it could escape. 

“ Back water, all !" he shouted. The obedient boat 
retreated rapidly. The dying whale lashed the water 
into bloody foam in its final flurry, and then lay still. 

“ We've got her!” exclaimed the men, joyfully. 
And so they had. The whale, a fine large one, worth 
a pot of money, was dead beyond a doubt, and it now 
only remained to tow their prize back to the steamer. 
This they at once proceeded to do. The lines were 
gathered in and coiled in their compartments, the 


118 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


fins were well pierced and lashed under the belly, 
and the big tail was triced up to the stern sheets. 

“ We’ve got a long pull ahead of us, my boys, and 
I don’t quite like the look of the weather. But we’ll 
try it, anyway,” said Lewis, scrutinizing the sky in 
the direction of the u Narwhal” carefully. 

The men were willing enough. They were working 
for themselves, as well as for the ship. To bring the 
whale alongside safely meant a good many dollars for 
each, so they buckled to their task with hearty vigor. 

But they were never to be anyricher by this cap- 
ture. The fates had otherwise decreed. Just as they 
were getting well under way, the dark, threatening 
look of the heavens was explained. A sudden gust 
of wind, heavily laden with snow, burst upon them. 
So dense was it that they could not see more than 
fifty yards ahead, and so blinding and stinging that 
no one could attempt to face it. Hoping that it 
might prove only a brief squall, Lewis ordered the 
men to lay to on their oars, and wait until it passed 
over. But instead of abating, the storm continued, 
and seemed, moreover, to increase in violence. It soon 
became clear that the whale must be given up. To 
hold on to it any longer was simply to court death ; so 
Lewis reluctantly gave orders to cut it loose, and 
presently the precious prize for which they had toiled 
so hard was drifting away, its life having been taken 
in vain. 

The question now was, how best to act under the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FEOES. 


119 


circumstances. The wind unhappily was blowing 
straight from the direction in which they wanted to 
go, and so strongly that the boat could not face it. 
Their only safety lay in fleeing before the storm until 
its violence should be over. To enable them the 
better do this, the short mast, which every well- 
equipped whale boat carries, was set up, and the 
sail well reefed down, carefully raised and secured. 
Under this canvas, slight as it was, the boat fairly 
flew ov T er the water, and, being as seaworthy as a life- 
boat, there was no more danger of its being swamped. 
But where were they going, and what was to become 
of them ? Serious questions these indeed, and so all 
on board the flying boat felt them to be, as with 
anxious, frightened faces they cowered in their seats, 
dearly wishing they were well out of their predicament. 

It was growing late in the afternoon. The dusk 
would soon be upon them, and then their position 
would be still more perilous. There was no longer 
any necessity for Lewis being in the bow, so he came 
down to the stern, where Harold, crouched in a corner, 
was doing his best to protect himself from the storm. 

“Keep up a brave heart, Hal,” said Lewis, putting 
his arm around him. “ We’ll come out of this scrape 
all right, never fear.” 

Harold lifted his head, and looked into Lewis’ 
face. It was clear that he had been crying ; but at 
the sound of his friend’s voice, he wiped away his 
tears, and made a big effort to control himself. 


120 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“Will we be all right soon?” he asked, with 
trembling lips. 

“ Perhaps, not very soon,” said Lewis, hugging him 
close, for he was exceedingly fond of the boy. “But 
it’ll be sure to be clear by morning, and then the 
‘Narwhal 7 will come along and pick us up . 77 

“ I hope so. Dear father ! how anxious he 7 ll be ! 
He 7 ll come right after us, I 7 m sure . 77 

“ Of course, he will. He 7 s probably searching for 
us now, and maybe will pick us up before the morn- 
ing , 77 said Lewis, assuming his most cheerful tone. 
“But, look here, my boy, you must have some better 
protection than that reefer of yours, or you’ll soon be 
chilled through. Ah, I have the idea ! 77 he added, 
springing up. Taking the tarpaulins that are used to 
cover the whale lines, he made Harold curl up in the 
cosiest corner of the stern, and then covered him com- 
pletely, making him so comfortable that the tired boy, 
comforting his heart with Lewis 7 assurance of ulti- 
mate deliverance, soon fell asleep, and dreamed that 
he was safe on board the “Narwhal 77 again. 

On sped the staunch boat through the darkness, 
Lewis taking turns at the steering oar with the steers- 
man, and the men sitting still and silent in their seats, 
as though they had already resigned themselves to 
death. Toward midnight the snow gradually abated, 
and finally ceased altogether, but the wind held on, 
and constant care was required to keep the boat true 
in her course. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


121 


“The captain will have a tough job finding us if 
we go on all night at this rate,” said Lewis to the 
steersman. 

“Aye, indeed, sir; but I’ve been in just as bad a 
box before, and got out of it all right. If to-morrow’s 
fine, our chances are good,” was the cheering reply. 

About this time Harold awoke, shivering with the 
cold and aching from his hard couch. 

“ Are we near the steamer ? ” was his first question, 
as he peered eagerly into Lewis’ face. 

How glad would Lewis have been to give him an 
affirmative answer ! But there was nothing to gain by 
deceit, so he replied : “ Not yet, Hal ; we can’t find 
the steamer until morning, you know.” 

“And when will it be morning?” asked Harold, 
tremulously. 

“ Not for some time yet, Hal. But keep up your 
heart. The snow’s all over, and the wind’s going 
down; there’s nothing to be afraid of,” returned 
Lewis. 

Brave words, these, no doubt, and well meant, but 
they could not disguise from Harold any more than they 
could from Lewis himself the gravity of their situa- 
tion. They must now be not less than fifty miles 
from the steamer, and increasing the distance all the 
time. Did they but know in what direction to steer 
they might make some progress back over the course 
they had come, but to do this, when so completely in 
the dark, would be perhaps only to lessen the chances 


122 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


of their rescue. Then at any time the wind might 
change, the ice bear down upon them, and their good 
boat be crushed like an eggshell between the pitiless 
floes. All on board realized the magnitude of the 
danger, but few spoke, and then only in subdued 
tones, as though little hope were left. And the air 
grew keen and penetrating, chilling the stoutest to the 
heart as the frail craft, with its crew of seven precious 
souls, sped before the wind none knew whither, or to 
what fate. 


CHAPTER XI. 


IN TIME — THANK GOD ! 

M ORNING broke clear and bright upon the lonely 
boat, with its chilled and weary occupants, and 
as their eyes eagerly swept the horizon no ground for 
hope appeared to cheer and comfort them, beyond the 
assurance that somewhere far up to the northward the 
“Narwhal” was already setting forth to their rescue. 
But how was she to find them ? They made but a 
tiny speck on the vast wilderness of sea and ice about 
them. The little union jack, which every English 
whale boat carries, running it up to the masthead 
whenever a fish had been struck, seemed like the 
mere mockery of a signal of distress, as they reversed 
it, and drew it to the peak again. Then, even though 
the steamer should find the boat ultimately, might 
they not be dead from hunger and thirst before that 
would happen ? 

Just here they had good cause to be grateful that 
Captain Marling was a man of ideas, and that, having 
always the courage of his convictions, he never hesi- 
tated about putting his ideas into execution. Now, 
one of his ideas was that no whale boat should leave 
the steamer without being provided against the con- 
tingency of separation from the vessel for perhaps a 

123 


124 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES* 


day or more. Not a season passed upon the great 
cod fishing banks without some ghastly tale of fisher- 
men out in their dories losing their schooner and 
drifting about to a slow death of torture from thirst 
and hunger. It were quite as likely for the same 
thing to happen in whale fishing. Accordingly, the 
thoughtful captain had put to good use the compart- 
ment at the whale boat’s stern, by having made for it 
two strong tin cases, one of which was always kept 
full of pilot bread, and the other of water. 

“ We’ve got enough to keep us going for a couple 
of days, at all events, if we’re not too greedy,” said 
Lewis, as he proceeded to inspect the cases. They 
were both full to the brim, and held ten pounds of 
biscuits and two gallons of water respectively. Not 
much for six men and a big boy to live upon for any 
length of time, but not to be despised, you may be 
sure. They must be husbanded with greatest care ; 
for who could tell when the lost ones would be safe on 
board the “ Narwhal” again. 

The sun rose in unclouded splendor, and its warm 
rays were unspeakably grateful to the shivering men. 
It was now the beginning of August, the hottest 
month of the brief Arctic summer, and the chances 
were that, the storm which had come so inopportunely 
would be succeeded by a long spell of fine weather. 
They had therefore little to fear from the elements. 
Poor Harold, who had looked woefully haggard and 
forlorn at daybreak, — for, if the truth be told, his tears 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


125 


had fallen freely through the night, — grew much more 
cheerful under the brightening influence of the sun, 
and after eating a biscuit and taking a cup of water, 
felt a good deal more composed. 

“Ilfs going to be a fine day. Father will be 
sure to find us, won’t he?” said he, looking eagerly 
into the second mate’s face for confirmation of his 
hopes. 

“ Of course he will,” replied Lewis, with a positive- 
ness which thoroughly satisfied his questioner. “ If 
we’re not all safe on board the steamer by night, I’ll 
never prophesy again, that’s all.” 

Lewis was entirely sincere in his answer. He 
really thought the “ Narwhal” would find them be- 
fore night, little imagining how poor a prophet events 
would prove him. 

On looking about them, it seemed clear enough that 
the storm had blown the boat across the open water, 
and that the vast field of ice to the westward, hilled 
and liummocked into all sorts of fantastic shapes, 
and stretching away as far as eve could see, was really 
shore ice, leading up to the solid land. 

Landing upon this snow-white shore, Lewis climbed 
one of the highest hummocks in the neighborhood, 
and swept the horizon with his keen glance. He had 
more than one object in view. Looking shoreward, 
he sought for some indication of the presence of 
Esquimaux, with whom as a last resort they might 
find a shelter, and turning seaward he tried to dis- 


126 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


cover the line of smoke that would be the first glad 
intimation of the steamer’s approach. 

But in neither quest was he successful. From 
horizon to horizon, north, south, east, and west, not 
another sign of life broke the dread monotony of ice 
and sea. The wilderness of water stretched along 
beside the wilderness of ice, and the keenest sight was 
powerless to find a bound to either. 

“ We may as well haul the boat ashore,” said Lewis. 
“ We’ll have more room to move about on the ice.” 

So the boat was drawn up at a good place, and 
everybody landed, feeling very glad to be released 
from their cramped quarters. Had they been simply 
on a sealing expedition, for instance, they would have 
thought it pleasant enough, for the air was warm, the 
ice firm and fairly level, and it would have been easy 
to have a lively time. Even as it was, the men’s 
spirits manifestly rose, and they indulged in some 
skylarking, which showed that they were by no means 
over-despondent. 

Leaving them in charge of the boat, Lewis took 
Harold with him, and went off for a walk shoreward, 
wishing to ascertain if he could, the breadth of the 
band of ice upon which they had landed. The walk- 
ing was pretty difficult, and they could make only 
slow progress, but they had any amount of time at 
their disposal, and the chief thing was to find occupa- 
tion. It kept them from thinking too much. They 
had gone about a couple of miles when Lewis’ sharp 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


127 


eye noticed something moving in the snow several 
hundred yards distant, and he determined to investi- 
gate. Bidding Harold keep well behind him, he pro- 
ceeded to stalk the game with the caution of an 
Indian hunter, making use of every hummock and 
inequality of the ice that offered concealment, Harold 
faithfully imitating his movements. Lewis had with 
him the hand harpoon, a very formidable weapon, and 
also a good revolver in his hip pocket, while Harold 
carried one of the lances, so that they were quite 
ready for any ordinary encounter. 

Creeping forward noiselessly, they drew near the 
spot where the moving object had first been discovered. 
It probably had seen them, for it had slipped behind 
a hummock, and for ought they knew was making off 
on the other side. At length they reached this very 
hummock. Lewis motioned Harold to stay still, and 
then throbbing with excitement, moved inch by inch 
around the base of the hummock, holding the revolver 
in his right hand, and the harpoon in his left. Breath- 
lessly, Harold watched him until he disappeared 
around the corner, and then, unable to restrain him- 
self, took a few steps forward. As he did, he heard 
a shout from Lewis, followed quickly bv the sharp 
crack of his revolver, and with a wild startled roar a 
big white bear sprang out from behind the hummock, 
and shambled off shoreward. The gait of a polar 
bear is an awkward enough movement under any cir- 
cumstances, but there was something peculiarly clumsy 


128 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


about this one’s mode of progression, and after watch- 
ing it closely for a moment Lewis shouted, in a tri- 
umphant tone : 

“ Hurrah ! his shoulder’s broken ! ” This was pre- 
cisely what bothered bruin, and after getting over 
about a hundred yards of rough ice, he stopped, 
growled fiercely, and turned to face his pursuers. It 
was evident that he found locomotion altogether too 
painful to seek safety in flight, and had made up his 
mind to fight it out. 

“Be careful now, Hal. Keep well behind me,” 
said Lewis, advancing cautiously. Harold needed no 
such admonition. He had never seen a polar bear 
before, not even in a menagerie, and this great clumsy 
creature with his long vicious head, huge paws, and 
shaggy fur of a dirty white tint was not just the kind 
of new acquaintance he felt any desire to cordially 
embrace. 

Covering the bear with his revolver, Lewis advanced 
until within safe shooting distance, and then, taking 
aim at his head, fired. The sharp crack of the re- 
volver split the still air, there was an awful roar of 
pain and fury, and with a mad etfort to reach his 
enemy the bear rolled over on the ice, to all appear- 
ances as dead as a door nail. 

Dropping his revolver into his pocket, Lewis grasped 
the harpoon, and rushed forward to examine his prize. 
In doing this he showed a lack of his customary pru- 
dence which came near having serious consequences. 
























































































Up Among the Ice Floes 





UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


129 


A polar bear lias a hold upon life that is almost 
beyond belief. If a if ordinary cat has nine lives, this 
monarch of the North must have at least eighteen. 
Both of Lewis’ bullets had taken effect, the first hav- 
ing broken the bear’s shoulder, and the second having 
entered his skull, stunning him at once. Yet he was 
far from being dead, and just as Lewis ran up to him 
he suddenly sprang to his feet, reared up on his hind 
legs, and with a clever blow of his uninjured paw 
sent the harpoon spinning out of the second mate’s 
hand, following the blow with so swift a rush that ere 
Lewis could evade him, he had thrown himself upon 
him, and man and brute went down together in a heap 
upon the ice. For an instant Harold was petrified 
with horror. But it was only for an instant; then 
the boy’s brave heart responded to the call of danger, 
and grasping the lance firmly in both hands he, sprang 
forward, and the bear just then happening to lift his 
head, he thrust the point with perfect aim right into 
the monster’s eye. Without a groan the bear rolled 
over, this time dead beyond a peradventure. 

Too full of anxiety for his companion to feel ex- 
ultant over the rare good fortune of his stroke, Harold 
dragged the bear off Lewis, and his heart almost 
stopped beating when he found him senseless. But 
feeling sure that he could not be really dead, he lifted 
his head into his lap and chafed it with his hands, 
crying frantically : “ Mr. Lewis ! Mr. Lewis ! what 
is the matter ? Oh, do speak to me ! ” 


130 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


For a few moments lie was kept in harrowing sus- 
pense, and then, to his unspeakable delight, Lewis 
opened his eyes, put his hand up to his head, and 
asked, in a faint, bewildered way: “ What’s hap- 
pened? What's the matter?” 

The reaction was too much for Harold’s over- 
strained nerves, and bursting into tears, he exclaimed : 
“ It’s all right. He’s dead. I killed him.” 

Lewis soon recovered his senses, and sitting up, 
looked from the dead bear to the weeping boy with an 
expression in which amazement and delight were oddly 
mingled. 

a Did you really kill him, Hal?” he asked at 
length. 

“I did, indeed,” replied Harold, wiping away his 
tears. “ I jabbed him in the eye with the lance.” 

Satisfied that all danger was over, Lewis proceeded 
to examine himself, and to his huge relief found that 
beyond the bump from the ice, which had rendered 
him insensible, he had suffered no injuries whatever. 

“ I am not hurt a bit,” said he. “ If I’m not the 
luckiest fellow alive ! Come, now, let us go back to 
the boat and get some help. We can’t manage that 
great carcass between us.” 

The men of the boat were immensely surprised to 
hear of the killing of the bear, and taking a big piece 
of whale line they dragged the body back to the boat, 
where they skinned it with their sheath knives, and 
stretching out the pelt to dry, cached or stored the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


131 


carcass in a hummock, for although polar bear steak 
is far from toothsome, especially when raw, still it 
was better than no food, and there was no telling to 
what extremities they might be driven ere the “Nar- 
whal ” would find them. 

On the particulars of the struggle being told, 
Harold became quite a hero in the sailors’ estimation, 
and altogether this incident served to make a welcome 
break in the long day of waiting which passed with- 
out any sign of the steamer’s approach. Once more 
the night closed in upon them, and with such com- 
posure as they could muster they prepared to make 
the best of their sorry plight. 

The following morning found them beginning to 
show very plainly the effects of their continued ex- 
posure, for although the night was comparatively mild, 
and happily free from wind, it was, of course, impos- 
sible to obtain any real comfort, and sleep came only 
because of utter weariness. Poor Harold seemed so 
miserable in both mind and body that Lewis was 
filled with anxiety concerning him. The boy had a 
constitution of no ordinary sturdiness; but it was 
hardly calculated to endure long . protracted exposure 
on an ice floe. As the sun rose bright and strong in 
the heavens, a new danger confronted them. The 
white glare attacked their eyes, and they were threat- 
ened with snow blindness. This meant a serious 
addition to the perils already surrounding them, and 
the second mate warned his men to keep their eyes 


132 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


turned seaward where the cool, pleasant blue-green of 
the water would do them no harm. 

The long day dragged itself past with intolerable 
slowness. Owing to this new danger, none now dared 
to leave the boat, lest they should wander away and 
be lost. The pangs of hunger increased hourly, for the 
biscuits were well-nigh gone, and Lewis doled them 
out in little morsels that hardly made a mouthful. 
Their thirst they could partially assuage by sucking 
snowballs, but their only resource against starvation 
presently would be the raw, repulsive flesh of the 
polar bear. Sad-eyed and sick at heart, and yet mar- 
velously patient, bearing their suffering with a stolid 
courage that filled Harold with wondering admiration 
and helped him to be brave also, the little group of 
castaways was once more enshrouded by the darkness 
of a night that for aught they knew might have no 
waking. 

In the meantime what had they been doing on 
board the “Narwhal” ? Eyery movement of Lewis’ 
boat had been closely followed by Captain Marling 
from the crow’s nest, and when, seeing the jack run 
up on the whale boat’s mast in token of a whale being 
struck, he joyously shouted: “A fall! a fall!” the 
busy men below paused in their work for a moment 
to give a rousing cheer at Lewis’ success. So intent 
was the captain in watching the boat that he did not 
notice the storm rushing out of the north until it was 
fairly upon him. But in an instant he realized the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


133 


danger. Hastening to the deck, he ordered steam np 
at once. What yet remained of the making off” 
must be laid aside, and all energies directed toward 
getting the steamer under way. 

There was much to be done. The anchors had to 
be raised, — a slow process at the best of times, — the 
dull, burning fires set going fiercely, the deck cleared 
of its many encumbrances, and all this took time ; so 
that despite the captain’s impatient orders, and the 
hearty vigor with which his men obeyed them, it was 
a full hour ere the “ Narwhal” moved slowly out of 
the bight, and then with gathering speed set off in 
search of the endangered boat. 

By this time the snow storm was raging wildly, 
and it was impossible to make out anything fifty 
yards from the steamer. 

“ God help them, and take care of my boy!” mur- 
mured the captain, his heart aching with apprehension. 
Every man on board had but one thought, the rescue 
of their shipmates, and all who had no other duty 
posted themselves in the rigging or at the bows, heeding 
not the storm in their eagerness to descry some signs 
of the whaleboat. When night came on, the largest 
lanterns on board were hung at the mastheads, and the 
steam whistle was sounded at frequent intervals in 
hopes of attracting the lost ones. But the day dawned 
and brought no cheering news to the captain, who had 
not left the deck, nor closed his eyes all night. “ We’ll 
be sure to find them to-day, won’t we, Peter ?” said 


134 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


he, with assumed cheerfulness to the faithful old mate, 
standing near him on the bridge. 

“ Aye, aye, sir ; no doubt of it. They’ve just run 
off before the wind. We’ll pick them up ere night- 
fall,” replied Peter, in a tone of confidence that did 
the captain good. 

But that day passed in fruitless search, and another 
night came, and the darkness that enwrapped the 
steamer was not deeper than the gloom which filled 
the captain’s heart, and affected every one on board. 
It was a sorrowful ship’s company. Harold and the 
second mate were both prime favorites, the crew of 
the boat comprised the pick of the forecastle, and 
their absence made a gap which all felt acutely. 
Patsy Kehoe was almost beside himself with grief 
and anxiety. His warm, passionate Irish nature had 
gone out to Harold in a love that daily acts of kind- 
ness had formed and fostered until it became the very 
centre of his life. He scarcely slept or ate as the 
time passed, and the missing ones were still unfound, 
and somehow, Captain Marling came to feel as though 
there was no one who sympathized with' him so fully 
as did the little Irish stowaway. 

The third day came, and the weather was still fine. 
Having struck straight across the open water in the 
track of the storm until he reached the ice, the “ Nar- 
whal” had then coasted along its edge, the captain 
feeling sure that if anywhere, the boat must be upon 
this ice. Unfortunately, he turned southward first, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


135 


and thus lost a day, not taming north again until it 
was clear he had gone much farther than the boat 
could possibly have done. Then he steered toward the 
north, and pushing the steamer to her utmost speed, 
scanned every foot of the si lore ice as he passed. 

The third day was drawing to its close, and, utterly 
worn out, the heart-broken captain had thrown him- 
self upon the bench beside the cabin skylight and 
fallen into a profound slumber, when Peter Strum, 
then up in the crow’s nest, shouted out at the top of 
his gruff voice : “ Boat, ahoy ! on the lee side ! ” 
Patsy just at that moment appeared on deck, and 
instantly catching the mate’s meaning, he sprang to 
the captain’s side, and shaking his arm vigorously, 
cried out in his ear: “ Wake up, sir! Wake up! 
Mr. Strum’s found them.” 

Half stupefied with sleep, the captain staggered to 
his feet, and looked about him in a bewildered way, 
and just then Strum’s voice roared out again : “ ‘Nar- 
whal’s ’ boat, and all hands safe.” 

With a fervent exclamation of “Thank God ! thank 
God!” Captain Marling rushed to the rigging, and 
climbing up to within a few feet of the crow’s nest, 
cried : “ Where ? where ? Show me where ! ” 

There was the boat in full view, lying close to the 
edge of the ice, and there standing beside it, and 
making frantic signals to the steamer, were one, two, 
three, four, five, six men and a smaller figure, that 
could not be mistaken. 


136 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


On sped the steamer, straight toward them. Eight 
up to the edge of the ice she glided. With the speed 
of thought a boat was lowered, and — ■ — Well, what 
more is there to tell, save that in a few moments, 
Harold, pale, haggard and weak, but living, was 
folded to his father’s heart. 


CHAPTER XII. 


IN QUIET WATERS. 

I T is easier to imagine than describe the scene of 
gladness and gratitude which followed the re- 
union on the ice. Weak and faint as the rescued 
ones felt, the appearance of the "Narwhal” had 
infused new life into them, and they vied with their 
rescuers in the vigor of their manifestations of joy. 
The parties made a very lively group, and no one was 
more demonstrative than Captain Marling, who, hav- 
ing first assured himself that Harold had suffered 
nothing more from hunger and exhaustion than what 
a little care would soon make all right again, went 
from one to the other of the boat’s crew, shaking 
their hands and clapping them on the back, giving 
full vent to his feelings. Then, bethinking himself 
of their famished condition, he shouted out: “All 
hands on board to dinner,” whereat the whole party 
hastened back to the steamer as fast as hungry men 
could go. 

A few days of rest and quiet completely removed 
all traces of their hard experiences from those who 
had been in such danger. Even Harold regained his 
plumpness and color with a rapidity little short of sur- 
prising, and the interrupted process of “ making off” 

137 


138 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


haying been duly completed, the “ Narwhal’s ” prow 
was once more pointed northward. 

It was now the middle of the Arctic summer, and 
the weather was almost uniformly fine and very 
delightful. Large quantities of ice continually ap- 
peared, but, as a rule, in a much broken up condition, 
so that the steamer had little difficulty in forcing her 
way through it, although now and then the heavy 
floes would close in about her, and with every sail set, 
and the engines under full steam, she would go boring 
and pushing her way through them into open water 
again. .Had a gale sprung up while this was being 
done the captain’s skill would have been taxed to save 
the vessel from injury, for solid and heavy as she was 
she would at times collide with an unusually big floe 
with such violence as to recoil several yards, before 
again gathering way, and charging her obstinate oppo- 
nent. These collisions sometimes produced very 
ludicrous consequences, the sharp shock tumbling over 
members of the ship’s company who were unprepared 
for such a sudden stoppage. Poor Patsy was one of 
the worst sufferers, for once while in the act of carry- 
ing a tureen of soup to the dinner table he was sent 
headlong, the tureen being dashed to fragments at his 
feet, and he himself half-drowned in its hot contents. 
Fortunately, the soup was not hot enough to scald 
hi m, but it would be hard to conceive a more comical 
object than he presented when he got on his feet again, 
with the thick, greasy soup spattered all over his face 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


139 


and chest. He was greeted with a roar of laughter as 
he stumbled into the saloon, and Captain Marling, 
enjoying the joke as keenly as anybody, hailed him 
with a hearty : “ Look here, Patsy, that’s not the pro- 
per way to bring soup' to the table. Go back and get 
some more, sir, and bring it to us properly,” which 
order Patsy a*t once proceeded to execute. 

They were discussing their future programme at the 
table that day, and the captain for the first time 
revealed a project that he had cherished from the out- 
set, but which he had not intended to follow out unless 
he should be favored with good fortune in his whale 
fishing. This project was nothing less than to push 
on from Rowe’s Welcome through Lyon Inlet into 
the wide waters of Fox Channel, hunt whales there 
until the tanks were well filled, and then, keeping 
still northward past the Melville Peninsula, venture 
through Fury and Hecla Strait into the great Gulf 
of Boothia, seeking a cosy corner of Committee Bay 
to winter in, and the following spring going on still 
northward to Lancaster Sound, thence eastward to the 
Baffin Sea, and, turning southward, steer through Davis’ 
Straits into the broad Atlantic, and so home again. 

It was a daring scheme, and as full of fascination 
for men of spirit as it was full of thought for men of 
reflection. Both classes were well represented in the 
little group that listened to the captain unfolding it, 
and if at first, with the exception of imperturbable old 
Peter Strum, their breath was takeu away by its bold- 


140 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ness, they soon regained their composure, and settled 
down to discuss the matter calmly, Harold listening 
with all his might, and hoping no less intently that his 
father would have his own way. 

The pros and cons were simply these : No one on 
board had ever been in those ice-bound waters before, 
the best charts of them were little more than guess- 
work, and the prospect of a long, dark Arctic winter 
away up in the heart of that mysterious region could 
hardly be called a pleasing one, so that aside from the 
ordinary perils of Northern navigation, such as being 
nipped by the floes, or smashed into by an iceberg, or 
wrecked by a storm, there were good grounds for 
hesitation. 

On the other hand, there was much to be said in 
support of the scheme. Gallant old Commander 
Baffin, in a small and crazy vessel of only fifty-five 
tons, had penetrated successfully the then undiscovered 
regions, part of which now appropriately perpetuates 
his name ; and if his poor ship was equal to the 
ordeal, how much more the strong and sturdy “ Nar- 
whal,” more than ten times her size ! In every man 
who is a man the spirit of adventure and discovery is 
strong, and here was a famous chance to give it free 
exercise. The route Captain Marling proposed to 
take was comparatively unknown. Few ships, and 
certainly no whalers, had ever been over it. Who 
could say what discoveries might not be made by 
enterprising men having every possible advantage, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


141 


when such wonders had been accomplished by others 
not one-half so well equipped? There were provi- 
sions on board for two full years at least, fuel in 
abundance,, furs in plenty for everybody — nothing lack- 
ing, in fact, that Arctic explorers would need. 

All this Captain Marling laid before his listeners 
with an earnestness that made him positively eloquent, 
and itw r as not long ere Frank Lewis became as enthu- 
siastic as himself. Dr. Linton was the next convert, 
and then, more slowly, the two engineers. As for the 
old mate, what the captain thought, he thought ; and 
that was an end of the matter for him. There were, 
however, two members of the group that had been 
gathered together for consultation who very clearly 
did not yield to the captain’s persuasive eloquence. 
These were the two sealers shipped at St. John’s, New- 
foundland, by name Joseph Collins and Lemuel Stacey. 
They were, by no means, attractive men, and more 
than once Captain Marling regretted having taken 
them on board ; for although their experience in 
Northern navigation was very valuable at times, still, 
upon the whole, their assistance was never absolutely 
indispensable. And they were both such rough, sullen, 
selfish men that their presence was a positive blight ; 
and everybody always felt much relieved when they 
took themselves off in the evenings to their own state 
room, which fortunately was, as a rule, quite early. 

They had listened to the discussion without taking 
part, not speaking until appealed to by the captain, 


142 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


when Collins, in his grim wav, urged a number of 
objections against the scheme; and, finding them, one 
by one, met and overcome by the others, relapsed into 
a sulky silence, from which he refused to be drawn 
again. Stacey, on his part, had nothing to say at all, 
but evidently gave lacit support to his countryman. 
Yet their silence by no means meant assent ; and, as 
will be seen farther on, their opposition, instead of 
dying away, became of increasing strength, and event- 
ually bore very troublesome fruit. 

Day succeeded day of sunshine and warmth, and they 
were easy times on board the “ Narwhal.” The fires 
were put out in order to save coal, and, under a fair 
press of sail, the steamer bowled pleasantly along, 
tacking hither and thither according as the ever-pres- 
ent ice required, or as the captain might direct. He was 
in no hurry. He would have liked very much to 
come across a couple more whales, and the crow’s nest 
was never without its sharp-eyed watcher. But he 
knew very well that August was usually a blank month 
for the whalers. Just why it was so, none could tell. 
That it was so, all could testify from actual experience; 
and so he was not disappointed at the time passing 
without any whales making their appearance. 

There was one desire the captain was anxious to 
gratify, and that was to do some sealing before the 
winter set in. The best time for that had, of course, 
already passed; but away up in these vast solitudes, 
where they were rarely, if ever disturbed, they must 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


143 


still be found in plenty ; and to secure a few thousand 
of their pelts would be a very good way of filling in 
the month. At Repulse Bay the captain had his wish. 

The “Narwhal” had been brought to anchor there 
for a day or two, and became surrounded at night by 
an immense ice pack, upon which, when morning 
broke, seals were discovered in great numbers. Imme- 
diately the steamer was thrown into the liveliest ex- 
citement. Not a man stopped to think of breakfast; 
but, snatching up a ship’s biscuit, crammed it into his 
mouth or his pocket, and, grasping a hand spike, an 
iron belaying-pin, or whatever else would serve as a 
club, hurried on to the ice in pursuit of the seals. 

Of these, there were many thousands scattered over 
a great field of fairly level ice which had, by the force of 
the wind, been consolidated, so that there were few open 
spaces ; and consequently there was no danger in going 
about. Captain Marling was one of the first upon the 
ice, Harold following close in his wake, and they were 
soon in the midst of the slaughter. It was indeed a 
slaughter. The poor seals made hardly any attempt 
to resist or escape, although here and there a big bull 
would bravely show fight, only to be knocked over 
ignominiously for his pains. The clubs were plied 
vigorously bv the powerful sailors — the two New- 
foundlanders, Collins and Stacey, being particularly 
active, and looking positively happy for once, as with 
tremendous blows they knocked their prey over, on 
right and left. 


144 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Harold soon got very sick of the business. The 
seals seemed so helpless, and there was something 
wonderfully appealing and pathetic about the expres- 
sion of the smaller ones, as, apparently recognizing 
the futility of attempting to escape, they lay panting 
on the ice, and looked up into the faces of their pur- 
suers. 

“ Come along, Hal,” cried his father, noticing that 
the boy hung back, and did not seem inclined to follow 
the retreating seals. “ You’ve got a good club. 
Don’t waste any time. There’ll soon be no seals 
left.” 

“ No, father. I guess not. I don’t like this work. 
It seems too cruel,” replied Harold, respectfully. 

“ All right, mv boy,” answered the .captain, appre- 
ciating Harold’s motives. u I won’t urge you. Do 
just as you please.” And then, as he hastened olf 
after the others, he added : “ Don’t go far away. The 
ice may change at any time.” 

“ I’ll take good care, father,” said Harold. And, 
turning off to the right, he went over to the edge of 
the ice field, where the open water was. He had not 
been there long before an incident occurred that made 
the operation of seal killing more distasteful than ever. 

The poor seal has a hard time of it. In the water 
the sharks and the sword fish pursue him with unap- 
peasable maws, and when to escape from them he be- 
takes himself to the ice, the polar bear, Esquimaux, 
and sealers give him no peace. Even the sun becomes 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


145 


his enemy, by raising blisters on his back, that cause 
him intense suffering, and make him dread returning 
to the water ; so much so, indeed, that if found by 
sealers in that condition, and pushed off the ice into 
the water, he will scramble back on to the floe at their 
very feet, seeming to prefer death by their clubs to 
further suffering. 

It happened that several of these strange sea mon- 
sters, called sword fish, were in waiting at the edge of 
the ice. No doubt they had followed the seals thither, 
and driven them up on the ice. The sealers were now 
acting in their favor by driving their prey back to 
them again. As Harold stood near the jagged edge 
of the ice floe, a little band of seals, fleeing from their 
human enemies, scuttled swiftly past him and plunged 
into the water, that looked so like a haven of security. 
But, alas, for them! it was nothing of the kind. 
Ilardlv had the green water closed over them than 
they reappeared at the surface, barking and lashing 
the water as if in a state of frenzy. 

At first Harold, watching them with breathless in- 
terest, could not make out the cause of this disturb- 
ance. But presently it became clear enough. The 
sword fish were in the midst of the helpless seals, 
which, barking, splashing, diving, sought in every way 
to evade their greedy enemies. The commotion was 
tremendous, and soon the crimson hue of the water 
told that more than one seal had fallen victims to the 
cruel sword. Thrilled with excitement, wishing with 

K 


146 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


all his heart that he could take the part of the seals, 
but, of course, utterly powerless to do so, Harold 
watched this one-sided struggle going on. And then 
a very remarkable thing happened. The seals were 
now climbling back upon the ice, quite regardless of 
the boy’s presence, of which, indeed, they seemed 
quite unconscious. About ten yards away Harold 
noticed a small seal swimming straight toward him 
with all its might, and not far behind it a huge 
sword fish, evidently in hot pursuit. The seal, for- 
tunately for it, had a head start, which would just 
about enable it to reach the ice, and this it succeeded 
in doing the instant before the sword fish, coming on 
with a terrible rush, furious with disappointment, 
dashed its mighty weapon into the ice at the very spot 
where its intended victim had escaped. The ice, thick 
as it was, trembled with the force of the blow, and the 
terrified seal, uttering most piteous cries, hurried 
toward Harold, who was standing spellbound at this, 
wonderful sight, and before he could move, placed its 
shiny head between his two knees in unmistakable 
appeal. 

Harold was so astonished that he hardly knew what 
to do, but mechanically stooped down and patted the 
head of the seal, just as if it were a dog. The poor, 
hunted creature looked up at him with eyes of won- 
derful softness and beauty, and there and then Harold 
determined within himself that if it were possible to 
get the seal safely to the steamer he would adopt it as 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


147 


his pet, and perhaps take it back to Halifax with 
him. 

Sitting down on the ice, he took the creature’s soft, 
smooth head, all dripping as it was, between his hands 
and fondled it tenderly. Strange to say, it made no 
resistance whatever. On the contrary, it seemed to 
thoroughly trust the kindness of its new-found friend, 
and its pantings and moanings ceased altogether as it 
lay restfullv at his feet. Harold was full of delight. 
He had often read of seals making capital pets. In 
fact, there had been two in a pond in the Public 
Gardens at home for some time, that he had frequently 
visited, and had seen them allow their keeper to play 
with them as if they were puppies. He was not long 
in making up his mind, therefore, to adopt this seal 
that had come to him so strangely, as his pet. 

But how was he to get it to the “ Narwhal ” ? That 
was a problem which had to be solved first, and it did 
not look like an altogether easy one. To carry the 
creature was out of the question. It was quite too 
heavy, even if it did not object to being treated like a 
baby. To lead it was no less impracticable. There 
seemed but one way of meeting the case, and that was 
to drive the seal. Harold held a light club in his 
hand, and getting behind his voluntary captive he 
waved it over its back, at the same time saying, in 
encouraging tones : “Get up, now, Sidney. Off you 
go. Make for the steamer as fast as you can.” 

At first the seal went very well, and by shaking 


148 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


the club to right or left, as the case required, Harold 
was able to make it keep a pretty straight course for its 
destination. But after going half the distance it got 
tired, and seemed to think that it was already quite 
far enough from the water; for, in spite of the threat- 
ening club, it turned around and refused to advance an 
inch, sending forth a pitiful moaning that was almost 
human in its expression. 

Harold did his best to coax it along, saying, reas- 
suringly : “ Come along, Shiney. I won't hurt you. 
I'll be so good to you ! Oh, come along, won't you?" 

But Sidney was proof against all his blandishments, 
and in his despair he was about to try and pick the 
ungrateful animal up, when Lewis came along, and 
seeing Harold's predicament, called out : “ Hello, 
Hal ! What are you about there ? " 

Harold was immensely relieved at hearing his 
friend’s voice, and started to him. 

“ I've got a prize. Come and help me get it to the 
steamer." 

Lewis came over to him at once, and Harold told 
him briefly how the seal had come into his possession. 

“ Indeed, this is a remarkable seal," said Lewis, on 
hearing the account. “ I'll help you get him to the 
steamer." And picking the creature, which vainly tried 
to escape, up in his strong arms, he bore it off to the 
“ Narwhal," just as though it had been a tired child. 

Captain Marling readily gave his consent to the 
seal being kept on board, and a big tub was at once 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


149 


filled with water and placed near tlie foremast, so that 
it could bathe whenever it wished. Many a time in 
the long and dreary days that were yet to come did 
Harold feel thankful for the good fortune which threw 
Shiney in his way, for he made a most interesting 
pet. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


GATHERING CLOUDS. 


HE seal hunt had been yerv successful, over five 



J- thousand pelts having been taken, and one of 
the largest tanks had been filled with the blubber. 

“ Now if I can only get a few walrus,” said Cap- 
tain Marling, reviewing with profound satisfaction the 
results of the day’s operations, “I shall be very well 
content.” 

He had not to wait long before his wish in this 
direction was gratified also. They were in a very 
good place for walrus, the fish being exceedingly 
plentiful, and these ugly monsters were frequently 
sighted from the crow’s rest. They proved very wary 
and difficult of approach, however, and for some time 
all attempts upon them were fruitless. At length the 
tide of fortune turned in favor of the hunters. One 
day the lookout reported a number of black objects, 
looking very much like walrus, as lying upon the ice- 
field a good distance from the water, and therefore 
easily to be attacked. Captain Marling ordered out 
three boats, — in one of which he went himself, taking 
Harold with him, — and filled with men eager for the 
fray they pulled rapidly toward the spot indicated by 
the lookout. 


150 


TJP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 151 

Landing upon the ice in the most cautious way pos- 
sible, the hunters, leaving two men in charge of each 
boat, spread out in a long line, and advanced upon 
their prey. The huge creatures were sunning them- 
selves in a level portion of the field about two hun- 
dred yards from the edge of the ice. Fortunately, the 
wind was blowing from them toward the men. Had 
it been otherwise the presence of the intruders would 
have been detected at once, even though they them- 
selves had been invisible. Creeping along on all-fours, 
and using every inequality in the ice to conceal their 
approach, the hunters got within fifty yards of their 
game without being detected. Their concealment was 
no longer possible owing to the level character of the 
ice, and rising to their feet, they cocked their guns, 
and drawing their lines close, hastened to the attack. 

They were well prepared for the fray. The captain, 
Lewis, the surgeon, and the engineers, all carried 
Winchester repeaters of the best make. Even Harold 
had a small rifle of the same kind, which he had 
learned to handle very cleverly under Lewis’ careful 
tuition. Several of the men carried rifles and shot- 
guns, and the rest had harpoons and lances, so that the 
chances of the prey did not seem very bright as this 
line of well-armed men moved down upon them. 
But they did not show the least alarm. On the con- 
trary, they faced their foe with a look that seemed to 
say : “ Who are you ? and what do you mean by dis- 
turbing us in this rude manner ? ” 


152 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


The appearance of men was evidently a novelty to 
them, and they would consider the situation a moment 
before deciding whether to fight or flee. They were 
fifteen in number — four huge bulls, as many young 
calves, and the rest cows. They were extraordinarily 
grotesque and gruesome-looking creatures, as they 
liftecf their heads and stared at the oncoming men, 
sniffing in a fierce way that showed their uneasiness. 
They much resembled exaggerated seals in body, but 
their heads, with the long, shining tusks, the forest of 
bristles standing out all over the nose, the sharp, 
wicked eyes, had little of the seal about them, and 
Harold involuntarily shrank behind his father, say- 
ing : “ What awful brutes ! They’d kill the whole of 
\is if they got a chance.” 

“ Fire at the bulls ; never mind the others,” cried 
the captain, and the next instant the crack-crack-crack 
of the Winchesters told that the battle had begun. 
The bullets were well aimed. All four of the bulls 
were wounded. But not one of them fatally, and 
while the cows and calves, terrified at the report of 
the rifles, made off as fast as they could go, pursued 
by some of the sailors, the males, maddened by their 
wounds, charged down upon their foes with such vigor 
as to cause an immediate stampede. Huge and 
clumsy as they were, their immense strength enabled 
them to get over the ice with surprising speed, and could 
they have turned as rapidly as they could go ahead, 
they would have been awkward customers to handle. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


153 


As it was, the captain had a narrow escape from 
them, for in turning suddenly to avoid their charge, 
he tripped and fell headlong, his gun flying far out of 
his reach. 

u Great heavens ! the captain’s down ! ” cried Lewis, 
the first to observe his chief’s danger, for a great bull, 
looking terrible in his rage, was almost upon him. 
Quick as thought he raised his rifle. But a cartridge 
had jammed and it refused fire. Swinging it by the 
muzzle, he sprang forward, intending to use it as a club, 
when the sharp crack of another rifle rang out, and 
the furious monster, stung in the neck by a well-aimed 
bullet, turned with a roar upon its new assailant, giving 
the captain time to scramble to his feet, and regain his 
rifle. 

Once it was in his hands a succession of shots, 
fired as fast as the gun would work, was poured into 
the walrus’ broad breast, and he fell helpless upon the 
ice bleeding from a dozen wounds. Not until then 
had he time to see who it was whose timely shot had 
distracted the walrus’ attention at that critical moment 
when its terrible tusks seemed to be almost right over 
him, and what was his surprise and delight to find that 
it was his own son, who, rifle in hand, came up, ex- 
claiming: “ Hurrah, father! I saved you. It was 
I shot him in the neck.” 

u God bless you, my boy ! ” cried the captain, throw- 
ing his arms around Harold and giving him a hug 
worthy of a bear. “ You did, indeed. But for that 


154 


UP AMONG THE ICE FLOES. 


shot the brute would have had me sure. But now 
we’ve got him, aud you shall have the tusks for your 
good shot.” 

The tusks were very fine ones, fully two feet long, 
and Harold felt very proud of his prize, as well as of 
his timely assistance to his father. By this time two 
more of the bulls had been slain, but the fourth, the 
youngest and most active of all, had made off toward 
the water with such celerity, although already wounded 
in more than one place, that ere its progress could be 
checked it had reached the spot where the boats lay in 
waiting. Then it caught sight of the boats, and saw 
its opportunity for revenge. Plunging into the water 
as if to disappear altogether it rose suddenly at the 
stern of one of them and lifting its head dealt a pow- 
erful blow with its tusks, crushing through the light 
timbers as though they had been paper, and causing 
the men, who were quite unarmed, to spring out on to 
the ice with amazing celerity. 

But in seeking revenge it found its own destruction, 
for its tusks were so embedded in the tough wood- 
work of the boat that it could not withdraw them, 
and one of the engineers coming up at the call of the 
boatmen, put half a dozen bullets in its head, thus 
completing a fine day’s work. 

The hunt had been entirely successful. All four 
of the big bulls and the same number of the cows 
lay stretched upon the ice, the calves being allowed to 
get off scot free. The bulls were enormous creatures, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


155 


weighing not less than a ton apiece, and their blubber 
would be well worth the trouble of flinching them, 
while their tusks aud hide would each be of great 
value in their way ; so that Captain Marling was in 
great humor, as he well might be, at the results of 
their first walrus hunt. 

From Repulse Bay, where she had made so pleas- 
ant and profitable a stay, the "Narwhal” sailed out 
through Lyon Inlet, and past Baffin’s Island into the 
broad waters of the Fox Channel, now fairly clear 
of ice. Here Captain Marliug hoped to secure a 
couple more whales, and if they were good, large 
ones, he would be content, as with the whale blubber 
already secured, and that from seals and walrus sub- 
sequently added, his tanks were pretty full, and the 
financial success of his expedition placed beyond a 
doubt. 

He had not yet published his plan already men- 
tioned to his men, and thought that they knew noth- 
ing about it. He quite expected some demurring on 
their part, for although they had shipped with him on 
the understanding that the voyage might continue for 
eighteen months should he so desire it, still in view 
of the full tanks, and of the natural eagerness of the 
men to realize upon their shares, besides the equally 
natural reluctance to tempt the unknown perils of an 
Arctic winter, he felt sure they would do their best to 
persuade him to turn about after the Fox Channel 
had been hunted over, and drop down past South- 


156 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ampton Island into Hudson’s Straits and thence home- 
ward. 

Strict injunctions had been laid upon those whom 
he had taken into his confidence not to say one word 
until he deemed the time had come, and so far he iiad 
seen no reason to imagine that these injunctions had 
been disobeyed. Nevertheless, they had been, and evil 
counsel was already at work among his men, sowing 
seeds of dissension that were to bear the black fruit 
of death in the near future. 

But the captain knew nothing of this, and sailed 
straight on up Fox Channel, or took a slant to right 
or left, according as he thought the chances would be 
best for whales. The good fortune which had be- 
fallen him in Rowe’s Welcome did not desert him; 
for three days after entering the channel a regular 
school of whales was sighted from the crow’s nest, 
and every one of the boats was despatched in hot pur- 
suit. Harold did not accompany Lewis this time, for 
although his father had not forbidden him to do so, he 
knew he would feel more comfortable if he remained 
on board, and as it turned out he had good reason to 
congratulate himself on his action. 

The whales were at least a dozen in number, and 
when first sighted were more than a mile from the 
steamer. But their course led them nearer, and bv 
the time the boats reached them they were not more 
than half a mile away, so that Harold, perched up in 
his favorite eyrie in the main crosstrees, had a fine 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


157 


view of all that went on. The six boats had started 
close together, and were now spread out in a sort of 
semicircle, advancing swiftly upon their prey, which 
were still ignorant of their approach. This ignorance 
did not last long, however. The two outside boats 
were nearest their fish, and presently two sharp reports 
rang out, the one right after the other, and the ever- 
welcome cry of “A fall ! a fall!” came from each as 
the well-aimed harpoons buried themselves in their 
living targets. 

Instantly the other whales dived out of sight, as 
did those to which the boats were fast, and there 
was nothing but the swishing water to show where, a 
moment before, the great cetaceans had been display- 
ing their bulk. 

“ Give way, all,” shouted the steersmen of the 
loose boats, sweeping their light craft around in pur- 
suit of the vanished monsters. 

“ Stand by to watch the line ! ” cried the har- 
pooneers of the fast boats, as their lines ran out at 
smoking speed. 

Excitement reigned supreme, but there was no lack 
of discipline, notwithstanding. Every man knew his 
work, and gave his whole attention to it. After an 
interval of trying suspense, the whales began to rise 
again in different places, and soon the cry, “A fall ! a 
fall ! ” announced that another boat had been successful. 

They have three whales already, father,” screamed 
Harold in delight. 


158 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


i( Aye, ave, my boy,” replied the captain. “ If they 
only bring them all safe alongside, we won’t need to 
do any more whaling.” 

They did eventually succeed in bringing them all 
alongside, but not until a struggle, that came near 
having a lamentable termination for some of those 
engaged. 

Three of the boats being fast to good big fish, the 
other three thought it best to come to their assistance, 
especially as the rest of the whales had made otf at 
such a rate, that it would have been useless to follow' 
them. One of the fast boats was Collins’, — the dark- 
browned, taciturn Newfoundlander, — and he was evi- 
evidentlv having such trouble with his prize, that 
Lewis, having failed to get a fish for himself, rowed 
up to his aid. Twice had the great creature “ sounded,” 
taking almost the whole length of line in his mad 
efforts to shake off his assailants, and each time had 
reappeared at such a distance, that ere the boat could 
row up to lance him, he had time to recover his 
breath and dive again. For the third time he rose, 
spouting out a high column of w r ater, deeply tinged 
with blood, and now', happening to catch sight of the 
boat, he made straight for it, holding his vast mouth 
wide open, as though he would engulf .it at one 
mighty sw’allow. 

Seeing the extremely perilous position of Collins’ 
boat, Lewis — who was lying at some little distance, so 
as to be ready to afford assistance if necessary — sent 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


159 


his boat flying toward the whale, and while it was 
yet twenty yards from its intended victim, hurled a 
hand harpoon with splendid aim into a vital spot. 
The pain of this fresh attack caused the furious 
monster to swerve sufficiently from its course to miss 
the boat at which it was aiming, but just as it passed 
it, threw its tail high up into the air, and brought it 
down with a terrible crash, striking the boat across the 
bow and crushing it in as though it had been an egg- 
shell. The men were all thrown into the foaming 
water, but, strange to sav, not one was hurt — Collins 
having a remarkable escape, thanks to a lucky dodge 
out the way as the destructive tail struck the boat. 
It had been better, both for him and his shipmates, 
if he had not escaped. They would, at least, both have 
been spared the dark trouble that was drawing near. 

Lewis’ boat was at hand, not only to pick up the 
men, but to continue the fight with the whale, and, 
having accomplished the first, set to work at the 
second with such vigor, that in fifteen minutes more 
the struggle was over, and the prize made ready to be 
towed back to the steamer. One by one the boats re- 
turned to the “ Narwhal” ere darkness set in, and 
before all hands were piped to supper, three large, fine 
whales were moored safely alongside as trophies of the 
day’s struggle. Captain Marling deemed this a timely 
occasion upon which to declare his prepared programme 
of future action to his men. Accordingly, after sup- 
per, when they might be expected to feel in thor- 


160 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


oughly good luimor — being well rested and fed — lie 
summoned them all to the quarter-deck, and in the 
course of a brief address outlined to them his plans 
for the coming winter. 

To his great surprise the men showed unmistakably 
by their manner that this declaration was no surprise 
to them. They were, evidently, not only prepared to 
hear it, but prepared to oppose it too, and the captain 
had hardly finished speaking, before one of the steers- 
men — “Big Alec,” as he was known among his ship- 
mates, with whom he was a recognized leader — 
stepped forward a little, and on behalf the crew, pre- 
sented, respectfully enough, their objections to the cap- 
tain’s proposition. They were, in brief, as follows : 

“When they shipped on board the ‘Narwhal/ 
they had understood that the principal object of the 
voyage was the whaling, and complete success having 
crowded their efforts, they thought they ought to re- 
turn and reap the benefits of their good fortune. It 
was true that their articles bound them to serve for 
two years, if the captain desired, but they supposed 
that provision was to be enforced only in event of an 
unsuccessful season at whaling. There was nothing 
for them to gain by a winter in the north, and they 
were anxious to return to their families that autumn.” 
Then, emboldened by the attention with which the cap- 
tain listened to him, Big Alec went on to say so much 
about the terrors of an Arctic winter, that Captain 
Marling, who knew well enough that he was not speak- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


161 


ing from personal experience, suddenly interrupted 
him with the question : “ What do you know about 

it? Who told you all that stuff, sir?” Taken aback 
by the unexpectedness of the interrogatory, Big Alec 
betrayed the whole matter : “ Why Mr. Collins, sir, 
and Mr. Stacey says it’s all true too.” 

Instantly the quick-tempered captain was aflame 
with indignation. “Ah! ha!” he cried. “That’s 
the kind of work that’s been going on, eh ! So 
you’ve been listening to those hang-dog rascals 
that I was fool enough to take on board at New- 
foundland ? Very well, sirs. I know how to deal 
with you and them. Go down below, and let me hear 
no more of your nonsense.” And turning his back 
upon the men, who looked crestfallen, but obstinate, 
Captain Marling retired to the saloon in high dud- 
geon. He was no less perplexed than indignant; for 
this interference of Collins and Stacey in his cherished 
plans might have very serious consequences, if not 
properly dealt with, and he was not quite clear in his 
mind as to the best course to pursue. All this made 
him feel unusually depressed, and his gloom communi- 
cated itself to the others, who soon learned what was 
the matter, so that the usually cheery gathering in the 
saloon was under a cloud that evening, and the mor- 
row was awaited with much anxiety by all. 


L 


CHAPTER XIY. 


THE STORM BREAKS. 

C APTAIN MARLING spent an anxious troubled 
night, but by morning he had quite decided upon 
his course of action, and proceeded to carry it out with 
liis habitual promptitude. Immediately after break- 
fast, he called the crew before him in the waist of the 
ship, and spoke to them as follows : 

“ Shipmates, I am more surprised than I can tell 
you that you should try to play me false in this way. 
Have I not always done the square thing toward you; 
paid you good wages, given you good grub, treated 
you like men ? And now I find that you have been 
opening your ears to the talk of those false traitors, 
Collins and Stacey, and you want to turn back and go 
home instead of following your captain as you have 
always done before. I am astonished, shipmates, that 
you should want to treat me in such a rascally way, 
and now that I know who is at the bottom of the 
mischief I am going to serve them out as they deserve. 
Before you all I order those two men to be placed in 
irons for exciting insubordination on board ship, and 
to be kept in confinement until I shall see fit to re- 
lease them. That’s my way of dealing with traitors. 
162 


UP AMCXNGr THE ICE-FLOES. 


163 


As for you, men, go to your work, and let me hear 
no more from you.” 

There was a murmur of surprise and protest from 
the men, and had they been given the chance they 
would no doubt have spoken, but directing Sturm and 
Lewis to carry out his orders with regard to the New- 
foundlanders, Captain Marling turned away and went 
back to the quarter deck, where he took up his posi- 
tion near the stern, looking moodily out over the 
water. It had been better perhaps if he had given 
the men an opportunity to reply, and undertaken to 
reason with them a little. But he felt so hurt and 
indignant that they should have listened for one 
moment to their evil advisers that he had no patience 
to argue with them, and so determined to exercise his 
authority as captain to the fullest extent. 

Collins and Stacey offered no resistance to being 
placed in confinement, although the former was heard 
to mutter under his breath that that u coxcomb of a 
captain would suffer dearly for this.” They knew w ell 
enough the time was not ripe for desperate measures, 
and that there was no alternative save to submit, which 
they did with lowered brows and darkly gleaming 
eyes. They were confined amidships in a sort of store- 
room which had recently been emptied. Not by any 
means an inviting place, but good enough, the captain 
thought, for such characters. 

Their advisers having been removed the men went 
back to their work, but in a sullen silence that boded 


164 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


no good. They did not seem at all like themselves. 
They had three splendid whales to flinch and stow 
away, and ordinarily this occupation would have been 
attended with song and joke and hearty laughter as 
the work went merrily on. But now they had neither 
song nor joke nor laughter. A heavy pall hung over 
them, and, as a consequence, they did not work one 
half so fast or well. Captain Marling saw all this 
clearly enough, but made light of it. 

“ They’ve just got a fit of the sulks,” said he to 
Lewis. u They’ll soon get over it if we leave them 
alone.” 

Busy as all were, the day seemed to pass with ex- 
traordinary slowness. Harold, who had only a dim 
idea of what the trouble was, for his father concealed 
its magnitude from him so far as possible, found 
it terribly dull on board. Everybody seemed pre- 
occupied and disinclined to be sociable, and but for 
the companionship of Patsy and his pet seal, Shiney, 
who was already beginning to be very much at home 
and exceedingly entertaining, he would have been 
sorely at a loss to know what to do with himself. 
Shiney proved a great comfort. He showed quite an 
appreciation of fun, and evidently enjoyed a romp, 
splashing in and out of his tub at a great rate, and 
playing many cute little pranks. 

Evening brought with it no easing of the situation, 
and it was clear that the captain and his associates in 
the saloon felt the state of affairs to be very serious as 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


165 


they gathered together for consultation after tea. To 
face the privations and perils of a winter in the ice 
with a mutinous crew was certainly not an attractive 
prospect, and yet to be balked of a long-cherished 
project, when just on the threshold of its accomplish- 
ment to be compelled to turn about and give it up ; 
— this was something against which one’s manhood 
sturdily rebelled. It was a long and earnest consulta- 
tion that took place, and Harold, profound as was 
his interest, fell asleep before it was finished, the 
decision ultimately arrived at being to maintain a firm 
front against the men, dealing as sharply as might be 
necessary with any who showed further signs of in- 
subordination. 

The next day, which was spent in “ making off,” 
passed pretty much as had its predecessors, the work 
being done in silence, with a general air of uneasiness 
prevailing throughout the ship. Harold and Patsy, 
who had both by this time gotten a pretty clear ink- 
ling of the trouble, talked much together about it, and 
more than once crept cautiously down to the dark 
storeroom, where the Newfoundlanders were impris- 
oned, to take a peep at the men who had behaved so 
badly and betrayed the captain’s confidence. Once 
when they went they found Big Alec engaged in earnest 
conversation with the prisoners, but although he was 
evidently very much flustered at their seeing him, and 
slank off immediately, they did not think the incident 
of any importance, and said nothing about it. Had 


166 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


tliev mentioned it to the captain, the tragedy that was 
near at hand might possibly have been averted. 

After enjoying freedom of action for more than a 
week, the “ Narwhal ” became beset by an ice pack 
which surrounded her in all directions, and she was 
evidently a prisoner until there should be a decided 
change in the wind. The evening being damp and 
chilly, no one felt tempted to linger upon deck, and 
after darkness had settled down upon the steamer all 
was quiet on board, there being nobody visible save 
two seamen doing duty as the bow watch, crouched in 
the shelter of the foremast, and Peter Strum leaning 
silently over the stern taffrail. In the saloon the cap- 
tain, the second mate, the surgeon, and one of the 
engineers were seeking a diversion of their thoughts 
in a friendly game, and were growing deeply inter- 
ested. The other engineer was making additional 
entries in the journal he delighted to keep, and 
Harold was reading for the third time one of his 
favorite books, to wit, “ Mr. Midshipman Easy.” It 
seemed a very peaceful and secure scene, and little 
would one have thought how soon it was to be rudely 
disturbed. 

It was Harold’s custom since Sidney had come into 
his possession to run up and say “ Good-night” to 
his pet before going to bed. Suspecting nothing, he 
went up as usual this night, and finding the seal in his 
accustomed corner near the foremast, was bending over 
it caressing its soft, sleek head, when suddenly he was 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


167 


caught in a powerful grasp, a huge horny hand was 
thrust over his mouth so that he could not cry out, 
and before he realized what was being done with him, 
he was borne off by Big Alec to the forecastle, 
and dumped down in the midst of the sailors with the 
stem injunction : “ Keep your mouth shut, now, or 
something’ll happen to you.” 

Startled and bewildered, Harold looked about him, 
and among the first his eyes fell upon were Collins and 
Stacey, whom he supposed to be lying in irons in the 
dark storeroom. Clearly there had been treachery 
somewhere, and he was at once reminded of seeing 
Big Alec sneaking away from the place of the New- 
foundlanders’ confinement. He further noticed that 
there was a good deal of drinking going on among the 
men. They must have gotten at the spirits somehow, 
for the brandy flowed freely, and all seemed to be par- 
taking of it. Collins, who appeared to be the leader, 
showed great satisfaction at Harold’s capture. 

“Ah ! lfa !” lie said, with a wicked laugh. “Now 
we’ve got the young cub, perhaps the old bear won’t 
growl so loud.” 

Captain Marling did not notice Harold going out, 
but after he had been gone some little time, he looked 
up from his game, and, missing him, exclaimed : 
“ Hello ! what’s become of Hal? ” 

“ Gone up on deck to say good-night to Shiney, no 
doubt,” answered Lewis. “ He always does it before 
he goes to bed.” 


168 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ Well, it’s about time he was in bed,” said the cap- 
tain. “Hi, there! Patsy. Pun up on deck and tell 
Master Harold that I want him.” 

Patsy hurried off to obey, and the game was re- 
sumed. Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes passed, and 
Patsy did not return. 

“Plague the brat, what’s keeping him so long?” 
said Captain Marling, testily, and ending the game 
he was just about to go up on deck himself, when 
Patsy rushed into the saloon, his face as white as 
a sheet, and his whole appearance betokening great 
agitation. 

“Hello, youngster, what’s the matter?” cried the 
captain, in surprise. 

“ Oh, sir, there’s a great deal the matter,” repeated 
Patsy. “ They’ve got Harold in the forecastle, and 
Mr. Collins and Mr. Stacey are there too.” 

“ Harold in the forecastle, and Collins and Stacey 
free ! Great heavens ! what’s the meaning of this?” 
exclaimed the captain, a sharp thrill of apprehension 
striking to his heart. Then he added, more calmly: 
“This is bad business, shipmates; we must look into 
it at once. Let us get our revolvers.” 

There was some slight confusion as each one hast- 
ened to his cabin, and returned revolver in hand. 
The faces of all looked very grave. A crisis, whose 
magnitude it was impossible yet to estimate, was at 
hand. The future hung upon what might happen 
within the next few minutes. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


169 


“ Stay here a moment while I go on deck and see 
how the land lies,” said Captain Marling, as he quietly 
left the saloon. 

After a brief absence he returned, his face looking 
graver than before. 

“ Things look pretty bad,” he reported. “ The 
men have gotten hold of the spirits somehow, and 
many of them are in liquor already. God knows 
what mischief they’ll be up to. I wish to heaven 
my boy were here. But surely they won’t do him any 
harm.” 

They were not left long in doubt as to what the 
men had in mind, for presently there was a tramp of 
heavy and unsteady feet along the deck and down 
the companion way. which soon explained itself by 
the entry into the saloon of fully a score of the 
sailors with Collins and Stacey at their head, while Big 
Alec, holding Harold fast in his mighty grasp, was 
not far behind. There could be no mistake about the 
purpose of the intruders. They had come to bend the 
captain to their will, and in view of the penalties to 
which they exposed themselves by thus breaking into 
open mutiny, had fortified their courage by potations 
of brandy until they felt equal to any excess. 

There was a look of dark leering triumph upon 
Collins’ evil face as he surveyed the captain’s little 
band that, numbering only six in all, now stood 
together in the rear of the saloon, and then glanced 
back over his own supporters, of whom there were 


170 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


more than three to one, while yet others were on deck 
awaiting ihe issue. His imprisonment had filled him 
with a wild passion for revenge, and he was deter- 
mined to have it regardless of all consequences. 

“ Well, captain/’ said he, first breaking the ominous 
silence, “ we’ve just come down to say that we don’t 
hanker after going any farther north and that we 
think it’s about time to right about ship, and make for 
home. Isn’t that about the size of it, shipmates ?” 

A murmur of assent from those behind expressed 
approval of his words, and, with an insolent smile, he 
awaited a reply. It came without delay. 

“ I am the captain of this ship,” said the captain, 
calmly, vet sternly, “and will suffer no one to dispute 
my authority. By this action you have become guilty 
of mutiny; and I give you warning, all of you, that 
unless you leave this cabin at once, and go back to 
your berths, I will hand you over to the authorities 
at the first port we reach.” 

Collins was evidently ready for this, and it had not 
the slightest effect upon him; although some of the 
more sober of the men winced slightly, and began to 
look as if they wished they hadn’t come on any such 
errand. 

“ Thank you, captain,” answered Collins, still 
smiling insolently. “ I haven’t a doubt you’ll do 
exactly as you sav, if you only get the chance. But 
we’ll take mighty good care you don’t. And what 
we’ve got to say is just this : If you don’t consent to 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


171 


turn about and go home, and promise to say nothing 
about this, we’re just going to give you and your 
friends one of the boats, and let you go on up north 
as far as you please, while we’ll take the steamer, and 
go down south as far as we please. That’s our little 
plan. What do you think of it? ” 

A strange chill went to Captain Marling’s heart as 
he heard these words, and there came up in his mem- 
ory the talk he had had with Harold about Hudson 
and his cruel fate. But there was not a sign of fear 
or irresolution on his countenance as he made reply : 
“ You black-hearted scoundrel ! This is all your devil- 
ish doing, and dearly shall you pay for it. Leave the 
cabin this moment, or I’ll shoot you where you stand.” 
And the shining barrel of a revolver was pointed 
straight at Collins’ head. 

Taken completely by surprise, the rascal fell back a 
pace or two, his face livid with rage and fright. As 
he did so, Big Alec stepped forward, holding Harold 
by his left hand, and in his right, one of the long, keen 
knives used in separating the whale blubber from the 
skin. “ Shoot, if you dare ! ” he shouted — for he was 
wild with drink — ‘‘and your cub shall pay for it.” 

Poor Harold gave a shriek of terror, and cowered 
down as the half-crazed giant held the wicked blade 
in his face. Quick as a flash, all six revolvers of the 
captain’s little band were leveled at the mass of men 
in front. A moment more, and there would have been 
an awful scene ; when suddenly — from no one knew 


172 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


where, for no one saw his approach — Patsy sprang 
forward, his face aflame with heroic purpose. In his 
hand he held a short iron bar which lie had picked up 
somewhere, and ere Big Alec could avoid him, indeed 
before he was aware of his proximity, he brought the 
bar down with all his might upon the arm that held 
Harold, shouting, as he did so : “ Run, Harold, run ; 
for God’s sake ! ” 

With the spring of a deer, Harold obeyed, and with 
the roar of a wild beast Collins rushed forward to in- 
tercept him. But ere he could take a second step a 
sharp crack split the air, and with a bullet in his brain 
the ill-starred wretch pitched forward at the captain’s 
feet — stone dead. 

The report of the revolver was followed by an in- 
stant of profound silence. Appalled at the fate of 
their leader, the mutineers stood as if petrified ; and, 
seizing the opportunity, Captain Marling, still keep- 
ing his revolver pointed at them, while they shrank 
back in terror from its deadly muzzle, shouted in his 
sternest tones : “ Fools! Ho you want to share the 
fate of this scoundrel? Back to your berths, now. 
I’ll talk to you in the morning, when you’ve got your 
wits again.” 

Completely sobered by fright, and abject in their 
collapse, the men one by one slunk out of the saloon 
until only Big Alec was left. He was about to follow, 
when by a sudden impulse he wheeled round, and with 
all his drunken fury turned to maudlin penitence, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


173 


rushed across the saloon, and throwing himself on his 
knees before the captain, while the tears poured down 
his bronzed cheeks, cried out, imploringly: “For 
God’s sake captain, forgive me! I didn’t know what 
I was doing ! ” 

Captain Marling, who in his delight at Harold’s 
safe deliverance, and relief at the happv turn of affairs, 
felt as if he could forgive everybody and everything, 
said, very gently : “All right, Alec, we’ll see about it 
in the morning. Just call one of the men, and put 
that thing out of sight,” pointing to Collins’ body. 

Big Alec went off, and bringing back another sailor, 
the two carried away the body, and then departed 
again without another word. 

They were very quiet in the saloon when once more 
left to themselves. The gravity of the peril, and the 
tragedy by which it had been averted, made them 
little inclined to talk, although their hearts were filled 
with profoundest thankfulness. 

“ My darling bov ! ” said the captain, at length, 
patting his son’s curly head, “ little did I dream 
into what dangers I was bringing you when I con- 
sented to let you come. It must be Aunt Etter’s 
prayers that keep you safe from harm. God bless the 
dear woman ! what will she say when she hears of this? 
But, bless my heart, I’ve never thanked Patsy. 
Where is the boy ? Hi, there ! Patsy ! Patsy !” he 
shouted at the top of his voice. Divining the reason 
of this stentorian summons, Patsy emerged from the 


174 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


pantry, blushing furiously. “ Come here, my boy, 
come here, and get a father’s thanks/' cried the cap- 
tain. And then, as the little stowaway came and stood 
before him, he took his two hands in his, and pressing 
them warmly, said : “ Now, shipmates, bear me witness. 
So sure as my name is John Marling, Patsy Kehoe 
shall never want for anything while I’m alive; and if 
we all get safe back to Halifax again, I’ll take good 
care that he shall want for nothing after I’m dead, 
either. God bless you, little man ! it was a lucky 
day when you stowed away on board the ‘ Narwhal.’ ” 


CHAPTER XY. 


DUE NORTH, 


VISITOR on board the “Narwhal” the morning 



-CA. after the tragedy would have had to be very 
unobservant if he did not soon find reason for thinking 
that there was something amiss. From Captain 
Marling down, everybody seemed uneasy and restless. 
The sailors went about their work in silence, and 
wearing a dejected, downcast air, that would have 
been sufficient of itself to arouse inquiry. The officers 
talked much together, but in a quiet, earnest wav, that 
showed the subject of their conversation to be of grave 
moment, and the captain spoke to no one save when 
he chanced to pass near Harold, and then he never 
failed to lay his hand affectionately upon the bov, and 
make some pleasant remark to him. Even Harold 
had been so deeply impressed by the events of the 
preceding night, that a shadow had fallen upon his 
young spirit for the time, and his merry whistle was 
unheard. He had never before been in the presence 
of death, and the awfully sudden fate which Collins had 
brought upon himself was a great shock to him. In- 
deed, through all his life the memory of that scene in 
the saloon would never lose its vividness. His own 
peril, the flashing knife in the hand of his drink- 


175 


176 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


maddened captor, Patsy’s brave blow, and his wild 
dash for liberty, Collins’ furious spring after him, 
and then the sharp crack of the revolver, and the 
dull thud of the traitor’s body upon the floor, — it took 
but a moment ; but, oh ! how dreadful it all was ! 

Early in the forenoon Captain Marling called the 
crew together, and committed the body of the unhappy 
Collins to the icy water, wrapped in a canvas shroud 
and heavily weighted, that it might sink far down 
into the silent depths. He could not suppress a sigh 
of relief as the white, shapeless thing slipped into the 
water and vanished. It seemed as though it carried 
with it all the trouble that had been weighing so 
heavily upon him of late ; for it not only removed the 
chief cause of that trouble, but made the way more 
open for him to deal leniently with those whom that 
evil man had led astray. 

For a brief space after the corpse, with a soft splash, 
had disappeared forever, there was a dead silence on 
board, during which each man might almost have 
heard his neighbor’s heart beat. Then, lifting his 
head, and looking into the faces of his men with an 
expression full of mingled kindness and reproach, the 
captain asked them : “ Shipmates, have I not always 
been a good captain to you ?” 

u Aye, aye, sir ! ” came in hearty cheers from the 
men. 

“ Did I ever refuse to listen to any of your reason- 
able requests?” 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


177 


“ No, sir ! no, sir !” cried the men in chorus. 

“Well, don’t you think you have treated me very 
badly in listening to that poor wretch who has paid 
so dearly for putting evil thoughts into your heads?” 

“ We have, indeed, sir, and right sorry we are for 
it,” spoke up Big Alec, in tones whose sincerity was 
unmistakable, while the others murmured their assent. 

“ I believe you, my men, I believe you,” continued 
the captain; “and because I do, although you have 
been guilty of the worst crime a sailor can commit, I 
do not intend to punish you as the law gives me power 
to do. Indeed, on one condition I will not punish 
you at all.” 

“ Please, sir, what’s the condition ? J ust name it, 
sir,” said Big Alec, eagerly. 

“ Well, it’s just this,” answered Captain Marling. 
“ If you will all promise me faithfully to stand by me 
and the ship, no matter where I see fit to take her, and 
will go back to your duty with good hearts, ready for 
anything, I will say nothing more about what hap- 
pened last night.” 

“ We will, sir, we will ! with all our hearts; won’t 
we, mates?” shouted Alec, turning round to his fel- 
low sailors; and when they chorused their assent 
with equal heartiness, he took off his cap, swung it in 
the air, and called for three cheers for “Captain 
Marling ! God bless him ! and we’ll follow him clear to 
the North Pole!” to which the men responded with 
a vigor that awoke the echoes amid the Arctic silences. 

M 


178 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ All right, my men ; it is a bargain between us. 
Bygones shall be bygones, and we’ll be good friends 
to the end of the chapter/'* said the captain, his face 
showing plainly that the burden had been removed 
from his mind, and that his way seemed clear before 
him. He dismissed the men, and, looking very much 
relieved, they went back to their work. The crisis 
was over. The difficulty happily overcome. The cap- 
tain had won the day, and the only sufferer was the 
poor wretch who, forgetful of all the captain’s kind- 
ness, and regardless of his own pledged duty, had 
tried so hard to play him false. 

There was a change in the wind about mid-day, 
and the ice pack began to disintegrate, allowing the 
“ Narwhal ” to make some progress northward. But 
it was very slow work at first, and required careful 
management. The “leads,” as the open water between 
the floes are called, were few and far between, and 
often after following one to its end, it would be found 
to be stopped by an iceberg, or a specially heavy mass 
of floe ice, which put farther advance in that direction 
out of question, and rendered a retreat necessary. 

Captain Marling grew increasingly impatient as that 
day passed, and another and another, without the stub- 
born ice showing any disposition to abate its opposi- 
tion. He was anxious to get as far north as possible 
before the brief Arctic autumn came on, as the navi- 
gation of Fury and Hecla Strait would, in all proba- 
bility, be very difficult, and it would not be wise to 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


179 


attempt it in a stormy season. By a free use of steam 
he might have gotten ahead a little farther, but this 
vas just what he wished to avoid. He had sufficient 
coal left in his bunkers to carry him to the end of 
his expedition provided it was sparingly used, but if 
he squandered it now in fighting the floes, he would 
have to do without it when fighting the cold at their 
winter quarters. 

The delay, however, had one advantage; it gave him 
plenty of time to talk with Harold, and he told the 
attentive boy many an interesting story of the early 
explorers, and their wonderful courage. They had 
such miserable little vessels in comparison with the 
powerful, well-equipped “ Narwhal ” for instance, that 
their achievements were rendered all the more heroic. 
Harold was filled with admiration for Frobisher and 
Baffin and Master John Davis, those fearless souls 
who fought their way far into this wilderness of sea 
and ice, long before the days of Franklin and McClin- 
tock and Parry. 

“ Why, do you know, Harold, they had to resort 
to the strangest plans to save themselves from destruc- 
tion, ^ continued the captain. “ During one of brave 
old Frobisher’s voyages, a barque named ‘Dennis’ of 
only a hundred tons, mind you, was struck so hard by 
a huge ice floe, that she sank at once in the sight of 
the whole fleet, and soon after a tremendous tempest 
sprang up that played the very mischief with the 
other vessels. The ice surrounded them on all sides, 


180 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


and in their desperation, fearing every moment lest 
the sides of their ships would be crushed in, they 
protected them with cables, mattresses, planks and 
^ven spare masts, which might act as fenders against 
the pitiless blows of the ice. A still stranger device 
was that employed by the ‘ Judith/ another of the 
same fleet. When being sorely beset, she made fast to 
the biggest piece of ice she could find, and crowding 
on all sail, used it as a sort of battering ram with 
which to force her way through the ice, and it seems 
to have been quite a success too.” 

“ But, father,” interrupted Harold, “ nothing like 
that could ever happen to us in this great big steamer, 
could it?” 

“ Not likely, Hal ; not likely,” answered the cap- 
tain, “ but we’ve got to be very careful, ail the same. 
There’s always the danger of being nipped, you know, 
and no vessel that was ever built, not even the ‘ Great 
Eastern ’ herself, could stand being nipped.” 

“ Why, what’s being nipped, father? ” cried Harold, 
opening his eyes wide. 

“ Simple enough, my boy ; simple enough ; it’s just 
getting in between two great ice floes which the wind 
or current is pressing together, and then, unless some- 
thing interferes, the ship is cracked just as a nut is 
cracked in the nut cracker. It is a very serious busi- 
ness, I can tell you, and I devoutly hope we won’t 
have any of it. But I must run up on deck, now, 
and see how we are getting along.” And leaving 


181 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 

Harold to think over the perils of Northern naviga- 
tion, Captain Marling went up on deck. 

He found the prospect looking much more promis- 
ing. The ice was separating floe from floe, wide leads 
were opening up in all directions, especially to the north- 
ward, and the wind was favorable, blowing strongly 
from the west. With his good spirits thoroughly 
restored, the captain sang out his orders cheerily, and 
under a full press of sail, the "Narwhal” dodging 
this way and that way from lead to lead, made good 
headway up Fox Channel toward Fury and Heela 
Strait. With two days of ordinarily good weather, 
the entrance of the strait ought to be reached. 

Although the tanks were now sufficiently well filled 
to satisfy the captain, a sharp lookout was neverthe- 
less kept for any game that might be met, as he 
wished to make as complete a collection as possible of 
Arctic trophies. He was particularly anxious to 
secure a good specimen of that strange fish, the uni- 
corn, — or "unic,”as the sailors call him for short, — 
and when one morning a fine “unic” was sighted 
cutting through the water not far from the ship, he 
ordered a boat lowered immediately and took com- 
mand of it himself, with Lewis as 'harpoon eer. 

Harold, of course, accompanied him. Wherever 
his father went he followed. There was no gainsay- 
ing that. The oarsmen were the best on board, and 
directing another boat to be made ready in case assist- 
ance should be required, the captain ordered his men 


182 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


to u give way,” and off shot the boat after its prey. 
They had to approach the unicorn — or narwhal, 
which is its proper name — very cautiously, for they 
are wary creatures and easily startled, so that one 
must never forget the sailor’s maxim to “keep off her 
eye.” Pulling along smoothly and swiftly, the boat 
crept up to within striking distance, and then Lewis, 
not losing a moment, rose in his place, and using the 
hand harpoon this time, sent it deep into the narwhal 
just behind the fin. With a tremendous start and 
flurry the stricken fish flung up its tail and dived into 
the depths, taking out more than a hundred fathoms 
of line as rapidly as any whale could do. Then it 
stopped all at once. The line lay loose in the water. 
The prize seemed already as good as won. Hauling 
the line in handover hand, the men found little resist- 
ance offered on the part of their captive, and more 
than one-half of the rope had been coiled away in its 
place, when the strain ceased altogether. Noticing 
this, Lewis at once called out : “ Look sharp, there ! 
the unic’s coming up again.” 

He had hardly uttered the words when, like an 
apparition, a huge form rose from the depths, on the 
starboard side of the boat; there was a lightning-like 
rush that made the water fairly hiss, and then a crash 
as the mighty horn pierced through the tough wood as 
though it had been paper. So fierce was the narwhal’s 
charge that fully two-thirds of its horn entered the 
boat, the sharp point finding its way into the thigh of 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


183 


an oarsman who was sitting near the gunwale, knock- 
ing him off his seat, and inflicting a severe wound, 
from which the blood gushed out. 

For a moment all was confusion. Thinking only 
of the injured man, Captain Marling at once sprang 
to his side, and with that presence of mind which 
never failed him, whipped out his big silk handker- 
chief and tied it tightly around the poor fellow’s leg, 
above the wound, thereby stopping the flow of blood, 
which otherwise would have been fatal. In the mean- 
time, Lewis gave his attention to their plucky assail- 
ant, plunging a lance again and again into its broad 
back; for so firmly was its horn imbedded in the boat’s 
side, that it could not extricate it. The keen lance 
soon did its work, and with its life-blood dyeing the 
sea around, the unicorn ceased to struggle. 

“ Hurrah ! ” cried Harold. “ He’s done at last.” 

“ Yes,” replied Lewis. “But he came pretty near 
doing for us first. Bv Jove ! how he did charge us. 
I fairly shivered when his horn came through the 
boat.” Then turning to the injured seaman, he said : 
“ Much hurt, Bell ? He hit you pretty hard.” 

“ That he did, sir,” answered Bell, who was hold- 
ing on to his leg with both hands above the wound as 
the captain had bidden him. “ A little more, sir, and 
he’d a’ taken my leg off altogether.” 

“ We must get back to the ship at once,” said the 
captain, “and let the doctor look after this man’s leg. 
Just signal for that other boat to come along.” 


184 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Lewis signaled accordingly, and on the ether boat 
coming up, the captain, the wounded sailor, and Har- 
old got into it, and hastened back to the ship, leaving 
the boat with the narwhal in tow to follow more 
slowly. The horn had made a hole little larger than 
itself, and the boat did not leak badly, so that there 
was no danger of its filling. Arriving at the steamer, 
the sailor was handed over to Dr. Linton, who had 
him well bandaged up before the other boat got back, 
and painful as the wound was, no serious consequences 
were to be feared. 

The question that now presented itself was how to 
get the narwhal on board without injuring his horn, 
which the captain was particularly anxious to secure 
uninjured, since the fish had made such brave use of 
it. After many plans had been suggested, none of 
which quite met the difficulties of the case, Captain 
Marling at length decided that he would rather make 
a bigger hole in the boat than have a break in the 
unic’s horn. Accordingly the ship’s carpenter was bid- 
den to cut out the piece around the horn, and then 
the fore spek tackle being attached, the narwhal was 
hoisted on board in triumph. 

He proved to be a very fine specimen, being almost 
twenty feet in length, and boasting a horn fully seven 
feet long, a really formidable weapon, which would 
have made it more than a match for the largest whale 
in the duels that these sea monsters sometimes fight. 
The long hoinwas on the left side of the broad, blunt 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


135 


nose, and on the right side, hidden in the blubber that 
overlaid the skull, was a tiny horn scarcely a foot long, 
which went to show that this strange creature was not 
really a unicorn, after all. Harold put in a claim for 
this little horn, which his father very willingly 
allowed, and it made a valuable addition to the collec- 
tion of trophies the young fellow was forming on his 
own account. 

The two days of fine open weather Captain Marling 
prayed for had been granted him, and the “Narwhal” 
was now at the entrance of the strait which led into 
the mysterious region where he so daringly proposed 
to spend the winter. Under the best of circumstances 
the navigation of this difficult strait could not be other- 
wise than arduous. But if the fine weather held, the 
attempt was well worth making; so putting on all 
steam, and spreading plenty of canvas, the sturdy 
vessel entered upon her trying task. 

Unfortunately, the fine weather did not hold. The 
last of the two days which had been so helpful was 
what is called a “ weather-breeder.” It was a little 
too fine, and betrayed the near presence of foul 
weather, which indeed came the following morning in 
the guise of a strong wind from the southeast, and 
dark, lowering clouds that foreboded the storm. 

Those in the saloon were just sitting down to 
breakfast when old Strum came stumping down the 
companion way, looking more glum than usual. 

“Well, Peter, what’s the matter?” asked the cap- 


186 UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 

tain, looking up and noticing the doleful expression 
on the first mute’s face. 

“ Matter enough, sir; the strait’s full of heavv 
ice,” replied Strum. 

“ What !” exclaimed Captain Marling, springing to 
his feet. “ You don’t mean to say so? That’s a bad 
lookout.” And leaving his breakfast unfinished, he 
rushed up on deck. 

A single glance was sufficient to confirm the mate’s 
statement. Stretching from one cliff-bound shore to 
to the other of the strait, and as far northward as eye 
could reach, was the dreaded floe ice pressing slowly 
southward upon the bosom of the current flowing re- 
sistlessly out of the Gulf of Boothia. Here and there 
its much hum mocked surface was broken by “ leads,” 
but they led nowhere, being always closed at the far- 
ther end. The prospect could not have been more un- 
promising, and with the wind blowing from the south 
there was actual danger. It was what sailors call a 
“ strong ale wind,” because it packs the loose ice 
tightly against the land floe, and ships are more liable 
than any other time to get nipped between the mighty 
masses and destroyed beyond remedy. When this 
happens and the ship must be abandoned, the men 
rush aft and broach the casks of ale and spirit, thereby 
often forfeiting their own lives in their mad passion 
for strong drink. 

Just such a wind was blowing now, and it blew all 
that day, rendering the utmost care necessary to save 





Up Among the Ice Floes. 

Page 186 . 














































































































UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


187 


the steamer from being crushed between colliding 
floes. To make matters worse, the lowering clouds 
toward evening let fall a heavy snow storm, through 
which it was impossible to see more than her own length 
from the steamer. Then were ominous and signifi- 
cant preparations begun to be made. Provisions were 
hoisted up from below, and ranged along the upper 
deck so that they might be thrown into the boats or 
upon the ice at a moment’s notice. The men were 
bidden to put on their warmest clothing, and to make 
up into little bundles that might be strapped upon 
their backs the things they absolutely required. The 
cooks were ordered to prepare a supper of the most 
substantial kind, and of this every one partook 
heartily, for it might perhaps be the last meal they 
would eat on board the steamer. Darkness set in 
early, greatly adding to the difficulties of the situa- 
tion. Nobody thought of turning in. All held them- 
selves in readiness to jump for their lives ; for when 
a vessel is nipped the relentless ice must pass either 
under or over the ship; unless it passes through her, 
crushing in both sides at once, as it has been known 
to do. 

Beset by darkness, storm, and a foe against which 
nothing could be done, the “ Narwhal ” battled bravely 
with all three while the long hours of that anxious 
night dragged slowly on, and none could venture to 
prophesy what the next minute might bring forth. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


INTO WINTER QUARTERS. 

HAT was an awful and ever-memorable night 



A- The wind shrieked madly through the riggijig, 
as though the spirits of the strait, resenting the intru- 
sion of the “ Narwhal,” were crying out for her de- 
struction ; the snow beat fiercely on the faces of Cap- 
tain Marling and Peter Strum, as standing upon the 
bridge they peered anxiously into the darkness, vainly 
striving to gain some idea of what was before them ; 
at intervals only too frequent, the great cruel floes 
would crash together, and the stout frame of the 
steamer would moan and groan in their terrible em- 
brace. Fortunately, they seemed much broken up, 
probably in the passage through the narrow portion 
of the strait above ; and although big enough to be 
fatal to a smaller and frailer vessel, the “ Narwhal,” 
built of the best oak and teak, and specially strength- 
ened with iron, came off unscathed from attack after 
attack, although no one on board could tell but that 
at the next nip she would share the fate of the 
“North Britain,” whose surgeon, sitting in the cabin, 
beheld the ice breaking through from both sides at 
once, and had barely time to beat a retreat, or of the 
“ Laurel” and “Hope” that were squeezed perfectly 


188 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 189 

flat and then thrown upon the ice to sink helplessly to 
the bottom so soon as the pack loosened. 

Fully alive to the perils of their position, Harold 
kept in the saloon, it being altogether too stormy for 
him on deck, his little bundle, containing a change of 
clothes, and a few other necessaries, lying upon the 
table where it could be grasped in a moment. Patsy 
kept him company. Ever since his gallant action at 
the time of the mutiny, the two boys had been greater 
friends than ever, and Captain Marling, who was 
nothing if he was not grateful, encouraged the lad to 
spend his leisure time in a corner of the saloon, lendr- 
ing him books to read, and in other ways showing a 
warm and kindly interest in him. 

There had been so wonderful an improvement in 
Patsy since his uninvited appearance on board the 
steamer, that it would be doubtful if anv one of his 
old companions in the Halifax slums would recognize 
him. The blessings of good food, proper clothing, 
and a comfortable bed had not been wasted upon him. 
He had grown both taller and stouter, and really 
good looking. Instead of slouching along in a hang- 
dog way, he walked with as alert and springy a step 
as Harold himself. So quick was he to learn his 
duties, so faithful in discharging them, and so respect- 
ful at all times, that, recognizing the value of his 
services, the captain had some time back added his 
name to the ship’s company, and allowed him good 
wages, which fact, more than anything else, had 


190 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


caused the happy boy to respect himself, and to feel 
that he was at last of some good in the world. 

The boys were sitting together in the saloon, doing 
their best to keep up one another’s courage by taking 
the most cheerful possible view of the situation. 

“If the worst does come, Patsy,” Harold was sav- 
ing, “and we have to leave the ship, we’ll still have a 
good chance of getting off all right. Father was tell- 
ing me a little while ago that in one year there were 
twenty whalers crushed to pieces up in Melville Bay, 
and nearly every man got safe home some way or 
other.” 

“ But sure, Master Harold, we’re not going to pieces 
at all,” replied Patsy, stoutly. “Didn’t I have a 
dream last night that I was walking the streets of 
Halifax, feeling as proud as the captain himself, — God 
bless him ! — with a fine suit of clothes on my back, 
and my wages clinking ag’in’ one another in my 
pockets.” 

Harold, anxious as he felt, could not keep from 
smiling at Patsy’s earnestness. 

“And how do you know that your dream must 
come true ? ” he asked. 

“ Because,” answered Patsy, his voice sinking into 
a whisper, “ I put my beads under my pillow, and 
sure the dream must come true.” 

Harold had too much regard for Patsy to smile this 
time. Indeed, he felt no inclination to do so; on the 
contrary, he took comfort from the simple faith of the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


191 


stowaway, and it was with entire sincerity that he 
said : “ Fra glad you told me about your dream, 
Patsy. I believe it’s going to come true myself.” 

Patsy’s eyes glistened. He had felt timid about 
giving his reason, fearing he would be laughed at, 
and Harold’s respect for his way of thinking touched 
his heart, encouraging him to add : “ And sure, Mas- 
ter Harold, as soon as I do set foot in Halifax, Pm 
going to the church, and I’m going to give particular 
thanks for our getting out o’ this scrape.” 

The boys grew weary as the night wore on, and Dr. 
Linton having promised to waken them the moment 
there was immediate danger, they curled up one at 
either end of the long sofa and soon fell asleep, to 
dream, perhaps, that they were both in Halifax again, 
with all the perils of the voyage passed. 

When they awoke it was broad daylight, and the 
sturdy “Narwhal” was still afloat and uninjured. 
They went up on deck together and found the captain 
and Strum at their post, but not in at all as anxious a 
state of mind as they had been during the night. The 
snow storm had ceased. The sky gave token of fine 
weather being not far off, and the ice was much less 
threatening in appearance. 

“ Hello, Hal! Up already?” was his father’s 
cheery greeting. “The old ship has weathered it all 
right, you see ; but we’ve had a pretty hard time of it 
up here, I can tell you.” 

“ Yes, indeed, father. I felt so sorry for you, out 


192 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


in the storm all night. I hope, when I come to be a 
captain, I won’t have to pass many nights like last 
night,’’ said Harold. 

u You’ve got to take whatever comes, my boy, fair 
weather or foul, whether on sea or land, if you ever 
expect to accomplish anything,” answered the captain. 
“ I think we’ve got through the worst of it now, and 
if you’ll just take charge of the ship,” he continued, 
addressing Lewis, who was standing near by, “ Peter 
and I will go below and take a little rest.” 

They had gotten through the worst of it. Every 
hour the prospect improved, and by midday they were 
able to push on through the strait at a rate of speed 
that would bring them out into the Gulf of Boothia 
ere nightfall. 

The scenery through which the “ Narwhal ” passed 
was very grand, albeit somewhat monotonous. Great, 
dark cliffs rose rugged and frowning from the shore, 
broken here and there by coves and fiords, in which 
the remnants of last winter’s ice still lingered, 
being already reinforced by fresh additions, for the 
nights were growing cold now. Where the cliffs 
opened a little, allowing a peep into the interior, faint 
patches of green yet marked the hillsides, and more 
than once the telescope revealed the presence of rein- 
deer feeding upon the mosses and Arctic grasses, 
which form their scanty food. 

All that day the steamer forged ahead with but lit- 
tle interruption, the ice being so much broken up that 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


193 


she could easily force her way through it, the wind 
meanwhile blowing gently from the west. The biggest 
whale that ever disported its vast bulk in Arctic 
waters would not have tempted Captain Marling to 
turn aside in its pursuit. The end of October was at 
hand. The steamer must be securely settled in her 
winter berth ere November came, for it could not 
very well be done after that ; so crowding on both sail 
and steam, the captain made the “ Narwhal put her 
best foot forward, so to speak, and the good ship 
covered herself with credit. 

The sun had yet a little way to go before disappear- 
ing for the night, when amid the cheers of the sailors 
the steamer passed out of the strait into the broad 
waters of Boothia, and the most difficult part of her 
work was finished. It only now remained to seek a 
safe harbor, and make ready for the long, cold winter 
that would soon be upon them. 

Captain Marling had determined to try Garry 
Bay, which cuts into the Melville Peninsula near its 
head, and just around the corner, as it were, from the 
outlet of the strait. Accordingly, the “Narwhal” 
lay to that night, and at daybreak next morning 
steered toward the bay, which was reached the same 
afternoon. A careful examination satisfied him that 
he could hardly have made a better choice. The bay 
was deep and free from obstruction. To the north 
and east the cliffs rose up in solemn majesty, offering 
complete protection from the winds that were most to 
N 


194 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


be dreaded ; to the south, the land lay low and level, 
while westward the prospect was uninterrupted as far 
as eye could see. Here and there the mighty line of 
cliffs was broken by valleys running far inland, 
through which the captain promised himself explor- 
ing forays that would serve to vary the monotony 
of winter life. 

“ Capital, sir ! capital ! ” said he, rubbing his hands 
joyfully, and beaming upon the imperturbable Strum, 
as he took in the many advantages of the situation. 
“ Here we’ll be as ‘ snug as a bug in a rug.* No 
northerly or easterly winds to bother us. No current 
to disturb the ice. Good hunting ground to the south, 
and plenty of ‘Huskies’ not far off, I’ll be bound.” 

Strum grunted his assent. If the captain was 
satisfied, he was too, and that ended the matter. 

Pushing well up to the head of the bay, the “Nar- 
whal” was brought to anchor in a sort of a natural 
dock, formed by two projecting ridges of rock, ere the 
darkness settled down. 

The following day was devoted to a thorough clean- 
ing and overhauling of the ship. From the stokers and 
oilmen down in the dark engine room up to the sailors 
taking off the top masts, every man worked with a 
will. The weather was favorable, but who could 
prophesy how long it would continue so, and the best 
advantage must be taken of it, for there was much to 
be done ere the vessel would be ready for the winter. 
The ship having been made clean, and put in apple- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


195 


pie order, the next business was to turn her into a 
house. This operation Harold found wonderfully 
interesting, Having had it in view from the initiation 
of his enterprise, Captain Marling had made due pro- 
vision, and in the forehold there was a pile of planks, 
rafters and joists, that now for the first time revealed 
their purpose. The deck was turned into a carpenter 
shop; sawing, planing, and fitting piece to piece went 
on. All who could be of any use lent an assisting 
hand, and the work progressed rapidly. 

Always quick to think of anything that would 
impart a little variety to the life of his sailors, Cap- 
tain Marling made the setting up of the roof-tree and 
the fitting of the frame the excuse for a regular old- 
time “ frolic,” or “ bee” as it would be called in the 
countryside. A particularly good dinner was served 
in the middle of the day, and in the evening, when the 
work was finished, they were allowed to dance and 
sing to their hearts’ content, so that they were all made 
to feel in high good humor. 

The fine bright days continued, and the house on 
deck grew rapidly. The roof and sides being com- 
pleted, the next business was the packing; for, of 
course, no ordinary wooden walls would be of much 
avail against the fearful cold that would come in due 
time. The securing of the material for packing 
afforded another pleasant bit of variety. The ma- 
terial was the dry moss, which thickly clothed the 
sheltered portions of the land near by, and which 


196 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


they procured by going on shore with gunny sacks, 
which were quickly filled with the spongy stuff. 

Harold thought it very fine fun at first clambering 
over the rocks, and up among the cliffs, but after 
a while it ceased to be amusing, and then he betook 
himself to exploration. He asked his father to allow 
Patsy to accompany him, and having promised not to 
go any distance inland, but to keep within gunshot of 
the shore, he took his gun and a supply of ammuni- 
tion and started off in great spirits. He felt himself 
to be a real explorer. 

“ Why, Patsy/' said he, proudly, as having scaled 
the first range of cliffs, they looked down upon the 
great fiord oil which the “ Narwhal ” lay motionless, 
“ perhaps nobody before ever stood where we're stand- 
ing now; just think of that ! S’pose we call this point 
Harold’s Hill, and that one over there Patsy’s Peak.” 

Patsy laughed at the idea of any place being 
called after him, but Harold insisted that as explorers 
they had the same right to call places after them- 
selves as other people had ; so the hill and the peak 
were duly christened, and the two boys proceed to 
farther discoveries. 

6 ' Hi, Patsy ! look here ! what’s that ? ” cried 
Harold presently, pointing excitedly with his finger to 
a level stretch of land a mile or more distant, upon 
which some st range-looking animals could be seen 
moving slowly. “ What queer-looking creatures they 
are ! Their heads seem bigger than their bodies.” 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


197 


Shading his eves with his hand, Patsy looked long 
and hard, but could make nothing of them. “ Sure,” 
said he, “ if their heads weren’t so big, I’d say they 
were cows.” 

“ I’ve got it ! ” cried Harold ; “ they’re moose, that’s 
what they are.” 

Harold had never seen a live moose, but moose 
heads stuffed and mounted were often on exhibition 
at the furriers in Halifax, and he was quite familiar 
with their appearance. 

“ Right you are, sir,” said Patsy. “ They’re 
moose, and no mistake. What a fine thing it’d be if 
we could shoot one now. Wouldn’t the captain think a 
deal of us ? ” 

The very same thoughts were running through 
Harold’s mind, and the temptatiou to go off in pur- 
suit of the supposed moose was very great. But it did 
not cause him to forget his father’s injunction, and his 
tone was decided enough as he answered: 

“No, no, Patsy. We mustn’t do that. The moose 
are at least a mile away, and we’re as far from the ship 
now as we ought to be. We’d better be getting back, 
as it is.” 

On their return to the steamer, they at once an- 
nounced their discovery, and Captain Marling had a 
good laugh at them. “Moose, do you say, Harold? 
Not a bit of it. No moose in this country. It was 
reindeer you saw. And just so soon as this job is fin- 
ished, we’ll go and hunt them up, I promise you.” 


198 UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 

Harold shouted with delight at the prospect of a 
reindeer hunt, and found it hard to restrain his impa- 
tience during the next few days, while the deck house 
was being completed. Captain Marling took good 
care that this was most carefully done. Upon the first 
roof a layer of moss, at least a foot thick, was laid, 
and stamped firmly down. Then over this a second 
roof of heavy planking was built, and the cracks be- 
tween the boards caulked with the same useful moss. 
This having been satisfactorily accomplished, it only 
remained to fit the windows and doors iuto their places, 
and the deck house was complete. 

The result was, the transformation of the deck into 
a very roomy and comfortable chamber, which, although 
perhaps rather dark in the daytime, — for the windows 
were necessarily small, and, moreover, had triple 
sashes, — looked well enough at night, when half a dozen 
big lanterns shed a generous light into every corner. 
Harold highly approved of it. There was lots of room 
for the skylarking in which he loved to indulge with 
Patsy, and the very idea of turning the steamer into a 
house was full of romance and charm to him. He 
had no premonition of how desperately weary he 
would become at what now seemed so delightful, in 
the long, dark, cold days that were approaching, and 
with what jov he would hail the removal of the last 
plank in that deck house, which, being now complete, 
rendered the u Narwhal ” ready for the winter. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


A REINDEER HUNT. 

T HE preparations for winter were not completed a 
day too soon. Fortunately, neither were they a 
day too late. The first day of November saw the 
steamer’s dock, which it had been decided was hence- 
forth to be known as Narwhal Inlet, covered thick with 
ice ; and each day thereafter the shore ice crept farther 
out into the bay, until, by the end of the week, not a 
speck of open water was visible from the crow’s nest. 

“ The steamer’s in bed, now, Harold,” said Captain 
Marling, as, walking out upon the ice, now strong 
enough to bear a regiment, they looked back at the 
“ Narwhal,” which presented a very snug, comfortable 
appearance, with her covered decks and shortened 
masts. " She only needs her bedclothes ; and then 
she won’t mind the cold an atom.” 

“ Her bedclothes, father ! Why, what do you 
mean ? ” queried Harold, in surprise. 

“ The snow, my boy, the snow,” answered the cap- 
tain. “ When the winter snow comes, we’ll pile it up 
on the roof and around the sides, until she is almost 
buried in it. She’ll be a vast deal warmer for that, I 
can tell you.” 

“ Then we’ll be living in a snow house, just like the 

199 


200 


TJP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Esquimaux, won’t we, father ? ” exclaimed Harold, his 
face kindling at the idea. 

“ That’s so, Harold ; only that our snow house will 
have a wooden inside, which will make all the differ- 
ence in the world, as you’ll soon see for yourself, when 
we come across some Huskies.” 

u And when will we see some Huskies, father ? ” 
asked Harold, eagerly. 

“ Oh, they’ll be along fast enough, if there are any 
of them about,” answered the captain. “ They’ll see 
our smoke, and come to find out what it means. The 
sooner they come the better ; for I want a couple of 
them to be our guides when we go after the reindeer. 
It wouldn’t be wise for us to go off entirely on our 
own hook.” 

Captain Marling was right in judging that the Es- 
quimaux would come along so soon as the presence of the 
“ Narwhal” was discovered ; for the very next day a 
procession, that Harold thought more interesting than 
a circus parade, was seen slowly approaching the ship, 
coming from the south. There were some half-dozen 
sledges, each drawn by as many dogs, and loaded with 
an extraordinary assortment of furs, frozen seal meat 
household implements, old women and young children, 
while beside them walked a number of men, and more 
women, more children, and more dogs. They were the 
oddest-looking lot of people Harold had ever beheld ; 
and, as they drew near the ship, they could be seen 
chattering vigorously to each other, and pointing at the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


201 


steamer, evidently feeling somewhat uncertain as to 
what this strange-looking thing was, and what kind of 
people inhabited it. 

They were not long left in doubt. The half-breed 
interpreter whose services Captain Marling had secured 
at Nachvak now showed his value. Coming forward 
to meet the procession, he at once entered into conver- 
sation with the leaders, who were evidently highly 
pleased at seeing one who looked and spoke so like 
themselves. There was, of course, some difference in 
the dialect, but the interpreter found that he could 
make himself tolerably well understood, and at once, 
on behalf of Captain Marling, offered the Esquimaux 
a hearty welcome. 

They seemed at first as timid as they were curious, 
and having never seen a steamer before, required some 
coaxing ere they would consent to go on board. Eut 
Lane, the interpreter, soon gained their confidence, and 
placing themselves in his hands, the men followed 
him up on to the deck, leaving the women and 
children in charge of the sledges. The number of 
the men was twelve, and they were the dumpiest, 
dirtiest, best-natured looking specimens of humanity 
that Harold had ever seen. He was exceedingly 
pleased to find that he was actually taller than the 
largest of them. 

“ See here, Patsy,” he cried to his friend, “ Pm 
as big as any of them.” 

“ So you are, Master Harold, one way,” replied 


202 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Patsy. a You’re as high as the best of them, but 
you’re not ns broad. Sure, they’re as round as a 
barrel, aren’t they, now ? ” 

“ Nobody wants to be as broad as they are,” said 
Harold, “ or to have such a flat nose, either,” he 
added, with a laugh, looking full into the face of a 
Huskie beside him, who, noticing the laugh, but of 
course understanding nothing of the boy’s uncompli- 
mentary words, returned the laugh with interest, 
revealing two rows of sturdy teeth as yellow as parch- 
ment. His good nature quite won Harold’s heart, 
and remembering his experience at Naclivak, he at 
once ran off to the steward for a plate of biscuits, 
which he proceeded to distribute among the visitors, 
whose bright eyes fairly snapped with delight, for 
there is nothing they crave more than farinaceous 
food. 

Having permitted his dusky visitors to wander 
about the deck for an hour or more, inspecting its 
wonders with childish curiosity, and peppering Lane 
with excited questions, Captain Marling gave each a 
bountiful supply of hard tack, and sent them away, 
first taking care to make arrangements for the rein- 
deer hunt on the following day. They went away 
very obediently, and rejoining their wives, who had 
all the time been waiting for them on the ice with 
admirable patience, returned to the shore, where they 
set up their tents, and encamped for the night. 

The following day was as fine as heart could wish, 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


203 


and the whole vessel rang with the bustle of prepara- 
tion for the hunting party. Captain Marling had 
determined to give as many of his men as wished, a 
day on shore, for they had now been a long time 
cooped up in the vessel ; so it was announced that with 
the exception of the first mate, the steward, the cook, 
and a couple of sailors, the rest of the ship’s company 
might get ready for a day’s outing. The men were 
highly pleased at this, and set about equipping them- 
selves with great energy. They were allowed entire 
freedom in the matter, and the consequence was that 
some of them presented a very ludicrous appearance 
when they considered themselves ready for the hunt. 
None of them had rifles, but being bidden by the cap- 
tain to take any weapon from the steamer’s armory 
they chose, one man picked up a lance, another a har- 
poon, a third a flensing knife, a fourth a blubber 
spade, a fifth a chopper, and so on until every one of 
them had an offensive weapon of some kind. 

“ If Jack Falstaff could only see them,” remarked 
the surgeon, who had a great turn for Shakespeare, 
“ he would not rest content until he had enlisted every 
man jack of them in his famous regiment.” 

However, if they were not very appropriately 
armed, and had not enjoyed much previous experience 
in hunting reindeer, they made up in strength and 
spirits what they otherwise lacked, and nobody was in 
better humor than Big Alec, who, ever since Captain 
Marlines magnanimous action at the time of the 

o O 


204 


UP AMOXG THE ICE-FLOES. 


mutiny, liad been the best-behaved and most valuable 
sailor on board the ship. Before the day would close 
he was to have an opportunity of showing by still 
stronger proof how deep was his gratitude for his 
captain’s forbearance. 

The hunting party, as it moved away from the 
steamer, presented quite an imposing appearance. It 
numbered forty, including Harold and Patsy, and at 
the Esquimaux camp it was made up to the even fifty 
by the addition of all the able-bodied men, who, look- 
ing very happy at the prospect of getting a lot of veni- 
son when the deer are at their best, were to act as 
guides for their white friends. 

The two boys were in great “ fettle.” Harold had 
his own rifle, and Patsy a small one that the captain 
had loaned him, and which, considering how little he 
knew about using it, was likely to be more dangerous 
to himself than to the game. But this view of the 
case, of course, never entered his mind, and proudly 
shouldering the rifle, as he had seen the soldiers do in 
Halifax, he marched along at Harold’s side, the hap- 
piest boy on earth. 

“ Won’t it be splendid if we each shoot a deer, 
Patsy ? ” said Harold. u We might do it, you know.” 

“ Indade, that we might, Master Harold,” replied 
Patsy, full of faith in both Harold and himself. “ Sure, 
this rifle’ll kill anything it hits.” 

They had much conversation of the same kind as, 
led by the Esquimaux, the party made their way up 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


205 


through one of the valleys, and thence to the level 
land beyond the cliffs where the boys had seen the 
reindeer a few days before. There were no deer in 
sight at first, and Captain Marling divided his little 
army into groups of five, putting each group under 
the guidance of a native, and then directing them to 
spread out in such a way as to sweep the whole plain, 
and, by describing a sort of semi-circle, come all 
together again at the farther side. About the middle 
of the day, he gave orders for a general advance along 
the whole line. 

The going was pretty rough and wearisome as the 
two boys, sadly out of practice in tramping owing to 
long confinement on shipboard, soon found out. The 
plain was strewn with bowlders, intersected by gullies, 
and tossed up and down in hills. and hollows that 
made walking anything but an amusement. Captain 
Marling and Dr. Linton, with Harold and Patsy, 
composed one of the groups, their guide being a sturdy 
little Huskie, whose stubby legs carried him over the 
ground at a surprising pace. By the time they had 
gone a couple of miles, Harold began to lag, and his 
father, noticing it, said: 

“Look here, Harold, there’s no need of your tiring 
yourself out keeping up with us. Suppose you and 
Patsy stay here, and we’ll come back and pick you up 
after a while. The reindeer may turn this way when 
they’re started, and then you’ll have a chance at 
them.” 


206 


UP AMOXG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Harold’s pride had prevented him from proposing 
this plan himself, but when his father suggested it he 
readily assented ; so the three men went on ahead, leav- 
ing the two boys at the base of an elevation, which 
they at once ascended in order to follow the others’ 
movements. 

“Now if the reindeer will only be good enough to 
come right along,” said Harold, stretching himself at 
his ease on the summit of the knoll, “ I shall be most 
happy to have a shot at them.” 

“It’s not many shots we’ll be gettin’ if we wait for 
the deer to come to us,” said Patsy. “ It’s we must 
go after them.” 

The inequalities of the country soon hid the rest. of 
the party from view, and the boys were apparently the 
only living objects within the bounds of the horizon. 
After a while they began to feel somewhat lonely, and, 
coming down from their post of observation, set out to 
follow in the track of the others. When they had 
gone some distance, they were glad to see Big Alec 
coming toward them. It seemed that he, like them- 
selves, had found the walking very troublesome, and 
not having a rifle, but only a whaling lance for a 
weapon, had decided to give up the chase of the deer, 
and wander about as he pleased until the hunt was 
over. Big Alec seemed no less glad to see them, and 
the three strolled along together at a leisurely pace. 

Presently their attention was aroused by the sound 
of rifle shots so distant that they sounded more like 


UP AM02sG the ice-floes. 


:07 


the popping of corks than the explosion of death-deal- 
ing gunpowder. 

“Ah, ha! That means business/’ exclaimed Alec. 
“I hope they’ll drive the deer this way. I’d like to 
have a look at them.”* 

To judge from the reports of the rifles, the sailor’s 
wish was likely to be gratified, for the firing grew 
nearer, showing that the deer were coming in their 
direction. 

“Get your gun ready, Master Harold,” said Alec, 
grasping his spear tightly. “ They must be coming 
this way.” 

Harold made sure that the cartridge was in its place, 
and then, trembling with excitement, awaited the ap- 
pearance of the reindeer. They were not kept long in 
suspense. From the other side of a ridge not half a 
mile away, a herd of deer, probably the same the boys 
had seen before, dashed into sight with half a dozen 
Esquimaux dogs barking madly at their heels. They 
were heading directly for the boys, and when they dis- 
appeared in a gully, Harold could not breathe for ex- 
citement until they rose into view again. 

On they came at a lumbering but swift gallop, 
headed bv a splendid buck with antlers branching out 
like a forest tree. There were at least twenty of 
them, and all in fine condition. 

“ I’m going to try for him,” cried Harold, pointing 
at the leader. 

So iutent were the deer in escaping from the dogs 


208 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


that they did not notice the boys and their companion 
until they were almost upon them. Then with a fierce 
snort the big buck threw up his head, and at that 
moment Harold, who was standing almost in front of 
him, leveled his rifle and fired. Down went the buck 
with such suddenness as to nearly turn a somersault, 
and off darted the herd, swerving swiftly to the left, 
just giving Patsy time to send a bullet into the last 
one, which broke its leg, and rendered it an easy 
victim to the dogs, who soon pulled it down. 

With a glad hurrah, Harold rushed forward to pos- 
sess himself of his prize. But he reckoned without 
his host. The deer was only stunned, not killed. 
Just as the boy was within a few steps it sprang to its 
feet, and furious with pain from the bullet, which had 
struck it at the base of the horns, charged straight 
upon him. 

“My God! the boy ! ” cried Big Alec, as he saw 
Harold’s danger. 

Harold saw it too, and tried to avoid it. As he 
did so, his foot turned upon a loose stone, and he fell 
headlong. It was a most fortunate accident. The 
maddened deer was almost upon him. Another 
moment, and he would have been caught in the 
tremendous antlers. But the sudden fall saved him, 
and, unable to check itself, the fierce creature bounded 
over his prostrate body, giving him more than one 
sharp blow with its hard hoofs as it passed. 

Before he could rise it had turned, and was making 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


209 


for him again. Now was Big Alec’s opportunity. 
With a shout that sounded more like the roar of a 
bull than the utterance of a human throat, he sprang 
in front of Harold, brandishing the lance. But what 
did the reindeer care for whale lances! They had no 
terrors for him. Not for an instant did he pause. 
The great antlers were lowered to receive the lance, 
knocking it at once out of the sailor’s grasp, and then, 
as he refused to budge, they crashed into his broad 
breast. 

Big Alec gave vent to another roar, this time of 
agony, for he was sore hurt by the sharp tines, and 
throwing his arms around the horns, sought to drag 
the deer to earth. A tremendous struggle ensued. The 
deer was one of the largest of its kind, and the sailor 
one of the largest of his kind. They were well 
matched, and both had their furv aroused to the high- 
est pitch. Scrambling to his feet, Harold repossessed 
himself of his rifle, and stood at one side watching 
this extraordinary wrestling match with intense 
anxiety. He did not dare to fire, for so rapid and 
confused were the movements of the combatants that 
the chances were he would hit Alec instead of the 
buck. 

In the meantime, Patsy, in whose composition the 
element of fear seemed somehow to have been omitted, 
had snatched up the lance, and was giving the deer 
vicious prods in the side and neck, from which the 
blood was streaming. Yet the powerful creature was 
o 


210 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


clearly getting the better of his opponent. If the 
sailor could only have gotten the animal around the 
neck, he would have been more than a match for it ; 
but his hold upon the huge horns gave him very little 
advantage, and lie was fast becoming exhausted in his 
efforts to save himself from being gored by the in- 
furiated animal. 

“For God’s sake, shoot the brute!” he gasped out, 
finding himself in such straits. Just as he spoke the 
buck presented his side broadly to Harold, as the 
latter stood by watching eagerly for a chance to render 
his companion aid. 

“ Now, my bov, now ! ” cried Big Alec. 

Harold raised his rifle, and without waiting to take 
aim, fired at the buck. The bullet entered just behind 
the shoulder. The creature gave a wild bound into 
the air, dragging the sailor clear off his feet, and then 
fell upon him dead, beyond all doubt, this time. The 
bullet had cleft his brave heart. 

Instantly the bovs sprang forward to extricate Big 
Alec from his critical position. With a great effort 
they dragged the dead deer off ; and then, to their 
great alarm, discovered that he was insensible. They 
tried such means as suggested themselves at the mo- 
ment to rouse him, but still, to their great alarm, 
he remained immovable, and as white as he was 
still. 

“ Mercy on us ! ” cried Harold. “ Surely, he can’t 
be killed ! ” 


Up Among the Ice Floes. 


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4 
























































UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


211 


If he were not, he certainly looked startlingly like it. 
His clothes had been torn to tatters in the terrible 
struggle, the sharp tines of the antlers had wounded 
him in places upon both his breast and face, from 
which the blood flowed freely, and in that last desper- 
ate bound, the noble buck’s death-throe, he had been 
hurled violently to the ground, his head coming into 
contact with one of the bowlders that lay everywhere 
about. 

a Oh, Patsy, what shall we do?” said Harold, 
with a sob ; for he really feared that the big fellow, 
who had come in so bravely between him and danger, 
had forfeited his life. He would have had his sym- 
pathy drawn out for any one in such a situation. 
It was intensely strong for one who had risked so 
much for him. 

“ Sure, sir, he can’t be dead ! He’s only fainted,” 
replied Patsy, in a tone that betrayed his own 
anxiety. “ Let’s get the blood off his face, and he’ll 
come to all right.” 

There was a pool of water near by, and dipping his 
handkerchief in this, Harold gently bathed Big Alec’s 
face, being rejoiced to find that it was not so badly 
cut, after all, and that the blood was easily stanched. 
Still, Alec remained motionless, while from the more 
serious wounds on his breast the life-blood was slowly 
ebbing awav. 

“ Oh, why don’t they come ! ” cried Harold, wild 
with anxiety, and the sense of his own helplessness. 


212 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ If Dr. Linton were only here ! Do go, Patsy, and 
see if you can see anything of them.” 

Patsy at once ran off, and Harold was left alone 
with the insensible sailor, whose life now hung upon 
the chance of Dr. Linton reaching him within a very 
few minutes. Poor Big Alec! he was drawing very 
near death! Each moment saw his chances dimin- 
ishing, and, if anything was to help him, it must 
come speedily. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


ESQUIMAUX EXPERIENCES. 

TTTHEN each minute seems an hour, oue cannot 
* * measure accurately the flight of time, and 
Harold could not tell how long Patsy had been gone, 
ere he returned, running at full speed, and so out of 
breath that he could hardly sav the words : “ Dr. — 
Linton’s — coming — -just — behind !” before the doctor 
himself appeared, and at once threw himself down 
beside the still motionless bodv. lie felt Bio; Alec’s 
pulse, and then placed his hand upon his heart. 

“Not dead vet!” he reported, looking very much 
relieved. “ But we must stop this blood right off. 
Get me some moss, quick, boys.” The boys hastily 
gathered up some handfuls of moss and handed them 
to him. “Now, your handkerchiefs.” Having got- 
ten the handkerchiefs, the surgeon with deft hands 
proceeded swiftly to make bandages for the wounds, 
and soon had the bleeding completely under control. 
“So far, so good,” said he. “Now, to wake him up.” 

Patsy brought his hat full of water from the pool, 
and Big Alec’s face was drenched with it, Harold 
meantime chafing his hands vigorously. This treat- 
ment was soon successful. The sailor stirred, opened 
his eyes, closed them again, and then put up his hand 

213 


214 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


to feel his head, muttering, in a bewildered way: 
“ What’s the matter ? Who struck me ? ” 

In a few minutes more lie had quite regained his 
senses, and made an effort to get up on his feet, but 
Dr. Linton restrained him. “No, no, Alec,” he said, 
kindly, “you must lie there until we can carry you 
to the ship. If you try to move, you’ll start your 
wounds bleeding again.” 

“As you say, sir,” answered Alec. “I do feel 
pretty well shaken up, and I’ll just keep still.” 

A couple of the sailors were then dispatched to the 
steamer to procure a hammock and a pair of hand- 
spikes, with which a sort of stretcher was improvised, 
and four strong seamen bore the wounded man to the 
“Narwhal,” where, by Captain Mailing’s direction, 
he was placed in Collins’ stateroom, as he would be 
better off there than in. the dark and stuffy forecastle. 

If any feeling of resentment had lingered in the 
captain’s mind, it was completely and finally banished 
when he heard of Big Alec’s bravery in the boy’s 
behalf. He lost no time in expressing his gratitude, 
and in assuring the well-pleased sailor that he had by 
his gallant action secured a friend whose memory of 
that service would not be short-lived. 

The hunt had been highly successful, no less than 
twelve fine fat bucks and does having fallen victims. 
These were equally divided between the Esquimaux 
and the steamer, and if ever people looked happy, it 
was those dusky, dumpy savages, as they toiled home 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


215 


to their tents, bearing their heavy loads of delicious 
venison ; for as a matter of fact they have no higher 
ideal of bliss than a stomach filled to repletion with 
favorite food. 

They had a glorious blowout that night, men, 
women, and children, eating and eating and eating until 
it seemed a marvel they did not share the fate of the 
frog who strove to be as big as the ox. But then it 
was an era in their lives to have an unlimited supply 
of reindeer meat; for, having no guns, it was not often 
they were successful in hunting these fleet-footed crea- 
tures. The white visitors’ brilliant success as hunters, 
and generosity in dividing the spoils, quite decided the 
Huskies to make their winter quarters in close prox- 
imity to the steamer, of which plan Captain Marling 
highly approved, as he wished to study this interesting 
people closely; and, moreover, the band was too 
small to be much of a burden, even if lie had often to 
contribute to its support during the long winter. 

Harold and Patsy were delighted at the idea of 
having such quaint neighbors, and promised them- 
selves fine fun learning how to manage an Esquimaux 
dog sledge, and in turn teaching the Esquimaux boys 
how to handle a gun. They were disappointed at first 
because the natives lived in tents of dried reindeer 
skin instead of snow houses, but the captain explained 
that the tents were only summer residences, and that 
the snow houses would be built so soon as the firm, 
drv winter snow had come. 


216 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


Sure enough, after the first heavy snow fall, and 
when there was no longer any doubt but that winter 
had come to stay, the Esquimaux set about making 
preparations for their winter abode; and the two boys, 
who now spent the greater part of every day ashore 
with the natives, watched them with eager interest. 
Their first proceeding was to hunt out a satisfactory 
bed of snow, which they did by means of snow testers, 
long, thin rods of reindeer bone, which they thrust 
through the crust down into the snow beneath, to make 
sure that it was well packed, and fit for their purpose. 
A good bed having been found not far away, they at 
once set to work to build their “ igloos.” 

Of many a snow house had Harold been the proud 
architect, but he felt that his most ambitious efforts 
would look little better than ant heaps beside the sym- 
metrical structures these ignorant natives built up like 
magic before his eyes. Taking a long, strongly-made 
knife, the Esquimaux would describe a circle in the 
snow of about ten feet in diameter, thereby indicating 
where the base course of blocks was to be laid. Then 
the blocks were cut out from the bed, and laid around 
this circle. These blocks were the size of a large 
pillow, and weighed about twelve pounds apiece. 
They were laid upon their edges, not like bricks in a 
series of courses, but in one spiral course that ascended 
without break from foundation to summit, changing in 
the ascent from a rectangular to a triangular shape, 
the cap of the dome being formed by three triangular 


UP AMONG THE ICE FLOES. 


217 


blocks meeting in a key block that held all firmly 
together. 

Harold was filled with admiration for the skill 
with which the dusky builders fashioned the blocks 
and fitted them together. Borrowing one of the 
sailor’s sheath knives, he tried his own hand at it, but 
•soon gave up in despair, for the blocks that he cut 
would not do at all. They were of all shapes and 
sizes, and utterly refused to lie snugly together. 

“ I’ll have to get one of the Huskies to teach me, I 
see,” said he, throwing down his knife, “ but I’m 
bound to learn.” 

When the dome had been completed, a hole was cut 
at one side for a door, and a long covered way built 
to keep the wind from blowing in too freely. This 
covered way was, of course, very low, and one had to 
go through on his hands and knees. The next 
business was to chink the crevices between the blocks, 
which was done by cutting off a little snow from the 
edges of the blocks and ramming it into the cracks 
and crevices with a blow of the fist. Finally, a foot 
or two of loose snow was heaped over all the dome 
except at the entrance, and the “ igloos ” were com- 
pleted so far as the outside part of them was concerned. 
Then came the furnishing of the inside, and if the 
boys had been filled with admiration before, they were 
overflowing with wonder now. These clever work- 
men in snow proceeded to make a platform which was 
about thirty inches high, and took up nearly three- 


218 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


fourths of the inside space. Upon this they spread a 
layer of moss and the reindeer skins, and in response 
to Harold’s wondering inquiry, showed very clearly 
that this platform was intended for their bed. 

The boys were fairly staggered. A snow house 
seemed tolerable enough if you could get nothing 
better. But a snow bed ! That was quite too much 
of a good thing. 

“ Did you ever hear the likes of it?” exclaimed 
Patsy, when he understood the matter. “ Sleeping in 
a snow bank ! Sure, I’d be frozeu stiff the first time I 
tried it.” 

When, later on, after the thermometer had gotten 
down away below zero, and the keen air cut like a 
razor, the boys visited one of these “ igloos,” and not 
only saw its inhabitants lolling about comfortably 
in a temperature that did not melt their snow beds, 
but beheld two chubby, dirty children, stark naked , 
rolling over one another on the reindeer skins like a 
pair of frolicsome kittens, they came to the conclusion 
that the Esquimaux were made of very different stuff 
from themselves, and that they certainly could never 
get used to their style of living. Just imagine what 
it would be like to go through a whole winter without 
ever feeling really warm. Talk about “perishing 
with the cold ! ” The people in the temperate zone 
don’t begin to know what it really means. 

Alongside the large “ igloo” a smaller one was built, 
to serve as a sort of pantry or storeroom, and in this the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


219 


reindeer meat, the seal blubber, and the other supplies 
were kept, as well as the harness for the dogs, which 
could not be trusted within reach of those omnivorous 
creatures. Harold was very much disappointed in the 
Esquimaux dogs. He had expected them to be fine 
large creatures, something like the Newfoundland 
dogs, but instead of that they were shaggy -haired^ 
sharp-nosed, wolf-like animals, about the size of a 
collie, with nothing attractive in their character, being 
almost as wild as wolves, and having no other idea of 
obedience than cowering before the crack of their 
master’s whip. Their only redeeming feature, next 
to their ability to drag a sledge seemed to be the 
simplicity of their appetite. They would eat anything 
and everything, and Harold used to amuse himself 
experimenting upon them. One of them that a sailor 
succeeded in coaxing on board the steamer, showed his 
appreciation of Jack’s hospitality by devouring a 
cloth hat, a boot, the best part of a flannel shirt, and 
one leg of a pair of trowsers before he was detected in 
his mischief. 

When the natives completed their “ igloos,” which 
they built in a sort of circle, their little village pre- 
sented quite a snug and cosy appearance from the out- 
side, whatever thin-skinned, cold-blooded writers from 
the South might think of the inside, and it. was evi- 
dent that they considered themselves particularly for- 
tunate in the selection of a site for their winter settle- 
ment; for they were the very picture of contentment, 


220 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


as they waddled about in their furry garments from 
igloo to igloo, or from the settlement to the steamer. 
There was a constant interchange of visits between 
these neighbors. The white men went to the natives 
to study their habits and mode of life, and to try and 
pick up something of their language. The natives 
came to the white men to study tlieir bread and their 
beef, and to try and pick up any unconsidered trifles 
that might be lying around handy ; not that they 
were light-fingered and unworthy of trust. On the 
contrary, they would not appropriate so much as a pin 
without first asking permission. But then they were 
no more bashful about asking than children in short 
frocks would be. Harold, with that easy benevolent 
characteristic of those to whom the giving costs nothing, 
was at first disposed to grant so many of their requests 
that his father had to interpose, and order him to give 
nothing more away without first asking him. 

Not a day passed that alone, or accompanied by 
Patsy, Harold did not pay a visit to the igloos. With 
the help of Lane, the interpreter, he began to master 
the “Innuit” language, and would proudly repeat to 
his father every new word he acquired. One of the 
first sentences he got a good grip upon was the curious 
but eminently appropriate wav in which the Huskies 
say good-bye, viz: “ Ta-bowke aperniak in atit” 
which in plain English meant Good-bye, don’t bump 
your head.” Harold thought this exceedingly amus- 
ing, and resolved to carry it home with him, though 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


221 


he forgot everything else; as for Patsy, he found he 
could make himself so well understood by dint of 
plenty of gestures and grimaces, that he left the lan- 
guage of the tongue alone, saying that his “ unruly 
member” was altogether too clumsy to get * round the 
native speech. 

The boys’ chief source of delight, however, was 
being taught how to manage an Esquimaux dog sledge. 
This was an art by no means easily learned. The 
dogs were utterly unruly, having gotten pretty well out 
of training during the summer; and, moreover, they 
evidently had great contempt for drivers who could 
not hurl exclamations at them in “ Innuit,” or wield 
the long-thonged whip with which their proper mas- 
ters could take a tuft of hair out of their backs at ten 
yards range. The sledges seemed such clumsy, primi- 
tive affairs in the boys’ eyes, made as they were of 
roughly fashioned driftwood, lashed together with 
reindeer gut, that they had the ship’s carpenter build 
one for themselves after the most approved civilized 
model, and put together with nails. This they 
brought out with great pride and showed it to their 
heathen friends, as much as to say, “ Here, you ignor- 
ant Huskies, this is something like a sled. Just see 
how much better it is than your clumsy affairs!” 

But, much to their surprise, the Esquimaux did not 
seem at all impressed ; on the contrary, they shook 
their heads in evident disapproval of the new model, 
saying something that no doubt meant : “ No good ; 


222 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


our kind the best. White man don’t know how to 
make sledge for ‘Innuit.’” 

As the boys were not to be convinced by words, the 
natives determined to prove their case bv practical 
illustration. Accordingly, the best team of dogs they 
had was harnessed carefully to the new sledge, and the 
best of their drivers being put in charge, Harold and 
Patsy were bidden to jump on, the long whip cracked 
like a pistol shot, and off they went at full speed. 
The way was fairly level, but very rough, and the 
sledge bumped along, seeming to strike every obstacle 
within reach in its wild course. The superiority of 
gut over nails as a fastening soon became evident. 
Instead of yielding a little to every shock, the 
sledge opposed it stiffly, and carefully as it had been 
put together, the incessant bumping strained it apart, 
until at length, a particularly violent concussion with 
an ice hummock broke one of the runners short off, 
pitching the boys out on their heads, and causing their 
Esquimaux driver to break into a merry peal of 
laughter. 

Harold and Patsy picked themselves up, rubbing 
their heads ruefully, and gazing at the shattered 
sledge, with an expression that said plainly enough : 
“ The Huskie’s right. He does know his own busi- 
ness best. I guess we can’t improve on his way of 
building a sled.” 

But if they could not teach the Esquimaux anything 
regarding sled-building, they certainly thought the 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


223 


native houses were capable of great improvement. 
However pretty and romantic they looked when freshly 
built, they soon prove themselves hollow frauds, so far 
as keeping warm the visitors from the South was con- 
cerned. The walls were far from air-tight, the outside 
air passing through as readily as it would through a 
lump of white sugar held between a boy’s lips; and as 
this outside air was always well below zero, inside 
warmth was hardly attainable when the only means 
of heating consisted in a couple of small stone lamps, 
in which a feeble flame flickered all day long. Even 
supposing it had been possible to make sufficient heat 
to warm up these snow huts properly, their construc- 
tion put this out of the question. The snow must not 
be allowed to melt. The temperature inside must, 
therefore, be kept below freezing point. In other 
words, the Esquimaux in their winter homes live in a 
temperature so chilly, that one might almost make ice 
cream there without having to put iced salt on the 
freezer. And yet, as Harold noticed, they never 
seemed cold, and their children would play about with- 
out clothing in this freezing atmosphere. 

When the whole family gathered in the igloos, and 
the stone lamps were burning at their feet, thawing 
out blubber or venison for dinner, the heat ascending 
to the roof would begin to melt the points and edges 
of the blocks above. Then somebody would take a 
handful of snow from the floor and paste it on the leak. 
Then if the heat continued, these snowballs would 


224 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


become saturated with water, and But let Patsy’s 

experience illustrate the consequence. Harold and he 
were sitting in an igloo one cold dav, and out of 
respect for the feelings of their guests, the Esquimaux 
had warmed the place up as much as they dared. 
Indeed, coming in from the bitter cold, the boys found 
the place almost comfortable. 

Presently Patsy, who was lounging on the edge of 
the bed with the hood of his fur coat thrown back, 
felt a drop of water falling upon his head, and look- 
ing up saw that the roof was beginning to melt. One 
of the Esquimaux noticed it also, and promptly 
applied a snowball to the leak, stopping it at once. 
The cause of his discomfort having been removed, 
Patsy resumed his place, and was lolling there at his 
ease, when suddenly he sprang to his feet with a 
shout that startled the others, and, putting his hand 
to the back of his neck, cried : 

“ Oh, musha! musha! what’s this that’s struck me? 
Ouch ! there’s a snake down my back, sure ! ” 

It wasn’t a snake, of course, but it was something 
almost as bad. The snowball put up to patch the 
leak having become saturated with water had fallen 
off, and found its way with perfect aim in between 
Patsy’s hood and the back of his neck, the icy slush 
slipping down his backbone with an effect which may 
be easily imagined. 

Thenceforward Patsy never sat in an igloo without 
keeping one eye upon the roof and changing his posi- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


225 


tion at the slightest suspicion of a leak. One lesson 
was enough for him. Indeed, it would have been for 
any one. The incident, moreover, caused Harold and 
him to wonder still more how these simple Esquimaux 
could pass winter after winter in such comfortless 
abodes. It also made them more grateful for their 
own snug quarters, and for the far more pleasant 
homes they hoped by-and-by to see again. 


P 


CHAPTER XIX. 


AN ARCTIC WINTER. 



INTER had come, and such a winter as no one 


*» on board the “Narwhal” had ever experienced 
before. Down, down, down, crept the mercury in the 
thermometer until at length it could get no further, 
and then one night the registering glass that hung at 
the door of the deckhouse froze solid, so that you 
could have handled the mercury just as though it 
were a stick of candy. 

Moreover, as the mercury sank the days shortened, 
the period of daylight growing briefer as the close of 
the year drew near. The immense value of the deck 
house now became evident. For the men to have 
been confined to the forecastle, which although more 
roomy than such places ordinarily are, was still none 
too spacious for two score men, would have been very 
trying to their temper and spirits. But the huge deck 
house, lit by half a dozen lamps, and warmed by a 
couple of big stoves Captaiu Marling had not for- 
gotten to provide, made a splendid refuge from the 
cold and dark, where the sailors could read, sew, make 
curious carvings out of wood or play games according 
as they pleased. They, of course, had nothing to do 
but to keep the ship in order, and although the cap- 


226 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


227 


tain’s discipline never relaxed so far as the control of 
the men was concerned, they were allowed abundant 
freedom of action within proper limits. They were, 
upon the whole, a very contented, peaceable lot of men, 
and if they ever did feel disposed to grumble at any 
of the hardships inevitable in their situation they had 
the sense to keep it to themselves. The tragical con- 
sequences of Collins’ evil counsel had taught them a 
lesson they were in no hurry to forget. 

The one thing to be feared by men situated as were 
those on board the "Narwhal” was the scurvy. 
The constant eating of salt food, and the lack of 
active employment made this dread disease a contin- 
gency to be carefully guarded against. There was not 
so much danger of it in the saloon, because the cap- 
tain had laid in au abundant supply of canned meats 
and vegetables; but the sailors, of course, had the 
regulation fare of salt junk and hard tack, and if they 
■were to do nothing but loll about trying to keep them- 
selves warm, the probability was that they would be 
down with the scurvy ere the wiuter was half through. 

Here, again, the captain’s forethought found illus- 
tration. He had anticipated all this, and had made 
provision against the difficulty in a way that did 
credit to his ingenuity. Calling the men together one 
fine morning when the thermometer was about twenty- 
five degrees below zero, he asked them how they 
would like to have a game of baseball. They re- 
ceived his question in much the same way as if he 


228 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


had asked how they would like a slice out of the 
moon. But he assured them he was in earnest, pro- 
ducing a baseball as a token of his sincerity. He 
then explained his scheme, which was simply that a 
space about a hundred yards square should be' cleared 
of loose snow, and thus converted into a ball field, the 
like of which certainly did not exist anywhere else on 
the continent. With big lumps of coal, which would 
show out plainly on the white ground for bases, and 
handspikes for bats, there was nothing to prevent their 
having lots of fun, even though the game in skill and 
style fell far below the League standard. 

The men took hold of the idea at once. The space 
required was carefully cleared and smoothed, and 
thenceforward every day that the weather permitted 
the most of them were to be seen playing baseball to 
the very best of their ability. 

The scene was a most curious one, and ludicrous in 
the extreme. Every player was little better than a 
moving mountain of furs, some of them being muffled 
up until only their eyes and nose were visible. Their 
hands were encased in mits thicker than any catchers’ 
gloves, and a good fly catch was almost an impos- 
sibility, although now and then some lucky fellow 
would, quite as much to his own surprise as to that of his 
companions, succeed in performing the difficult feat. 
Tumbles were the rule rather' than the exception, 
and sliding for bases was the regular way of getting 
there. Captain Marling generally filled the import- 


UP AMOXG THE ICE-PLOES. 


229 


ant position of umpire, doing so with a zeal and 
gravity worthy of a League official. 

Harold and Patsy were, of course, in ecstacies oyer 
the baseball. No game was complete without them, 
and they were looked upon as the “mascots ” for the 
respective sides, a very active but good-natured rivalry 
being created. First one side and then the other would 
develop a “ wonderful batting streak,” and the scores 
were kept with great accuracy, so that comparisons 
could be made at the end of the week, and the averages 
made up. It need hardly be said that there were no 
games postponed on account of rain while the season 
lasted. So that an Arctic baseball field proved itself 
to be not entirely without advantages. 

Although the only thing in the wav of a grand 
stand was a big snowdrift at one side of the “ dia- 
mond,” the game was not without spectators. The 
Esquimaux were always on hand, laughing merrily at 
the mishaps of the players, even though they could not 
appreciate the good points of their play. If the ball 
chanced to roll their wav, they would all make a rush 
for it, each trying to be the first to pick it up and 
return it to the nearest player. 

By-and-by the sun went down behind the horizon, 
and did not come up again. The long Arctic night 
was upon the people of the “Narwhal,” and for three 
weary months they were doomed to constant twilight, 
the Aurora Borealis, that flamed and flashed across 
the face of the Northern firmament with an iudescrib- 


230 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


able variety of splendor, being their beautiful, but in- 
sufficient, substitute for the sunlight. 

Harold did not take kindly to the idea of parting 
with the sun. It seemed very strange to wake up in 
the morning, and find it no brighter than it was when 
he lay down to sleep; and although it was not dark 
enough to prevent one from going abroad as usual, 
still the range of vision was very limited, and constant 
care had to be exercised. 

Baseball, of course, became no longer possible. The 
sharpest eye could not follow the flight of the sphere 
in that uncertain light; and the men were lamenting 
their hard fate, when again the clever captain proved 
equal to the occasion. He had foreseen all this when 
he was making ready for a winter in the land of dark- 
ness; and from that mysterious locker, into which not 
even Harold was permitted to peep, now produced a 
ball which, under Dr. Linton’s manipulation, assumed 
the proportions of a pumpkin. 

“Here, Harold,” said the captain, tossing him the 
huge sphere. “ If you can’t see a baseball in this dim 
light, you’ll have no trouble in seeing this. We’ll play 
football after this.” 

And plav football they did, day after dav, during 
the remainder of the winter. In this game the Esqui- 
maux became active sharers. They could run and tumble 
and trip and pickup a pumpkin as well as any of their 
white friends, and they entered into the fun with 
amazing vigor for such fat little fellows. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


231 


As the month of December drew toward its close, 
Harold began to take a deep interest in the almanac, 
and to count the days that still remained. Evidently 
he and Patsy had something important on their minds, 
which would in due time be declared. The week before 
the twenty-fifth, the matter was made known. Cap- 
tain Marling was sitting in the saloon, reading, when 
Harold stepped up quietly, and, putting his arm around 
his father’s neck, said, in a very meaning tone : 
“ Father, do you know that next Wednesday will be 
the twenty-fifth? ” 

Captain Marling looked up, and there was a sly 
twinkle in his eye, as he answered : (( I hadn’t thought 
of it, Hal. ’ Why do you mention it?” 

“ You know well enough, father.” 

“ I’ll know better if you tell me, Hal,” returned 
the captain, who was apparently impervious to hints. 

“ Why, it’s Christmas, of course,” said Harold, 
despairing of getting his father to say it for him. 

“ Sure enough, my boy, sure enough ! What a pity 
we were not at home, so that we might keep it ! ” And 
the captain’s face grew contemplative. 

“ But we will keep Christmas, all the same, won’t 
we, father? ” exclaimed Harold, somewhat anxiously. 

“Keep Christmas up here! And pray, sir, how 
shall we manage that? No woods to get a Christmas 
tree in. No shops to buy Christmas presents in.” 
And the captain smiled, as though to imply that Harold 
was talking nonsense. 


232 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


But the boy was not so easily rebuffed. He more 
than half suspected his father of being only in fun ; 
and, anyway, he intended to have just as good a Christ- 
mas as could be managed under the circumstances. 

“ If we can’t get a Christmas tree, or buy presents, 
we can have lots of fun, all the same, father,” said 
Harold, in a very determined tone; “and I mean we 
shall have it, if you have no objections.” 

“Not a bit, my boy, not a bit,” laughed the captain. 
“Go right ahead. I’ll give you full charge, and will 
do my best to help you. Just ask for what you want, 
and you shall have it.” 

Harold sprang upon his father, and gave him a 
hearty hug. “You dear, good father. You’re just 
the best father in the world. You see if we don’t have 
a good time.” 

For the next few days Harold was full of business. 
He made Patsy his aid-de-camp; and the two boys 
were always consulting together with an air of great 
mystery and importance. The captain gave him carte 
blanche as regarded the stores, and instructed the cook 
and steward to assist him to their utmost. 

The boys’ plans were simple enough, but the execu- 
tion of them afforded them a great deal of happiness. 
The programme was as follows : There would be di- 
vine service in the morning, because when at home he 
< had always gone to church on Christmas. This his 
■father would conduct, just as he did the service every 
Sunday. In the afternoon there would be a grand 


UP AMOKG THE ICE-FLOES. 


233 


football match, in which everybody on board that 
could, must take part, to be followed bv a number of 
races. And then, in the evening, a big dinner in the 
deck house, which would be decorated with flags, and 
pictures and furs, to the extent of the full resources of 
the ship. 

Christmas came, and everybody was ready to cele- 
brate it heartily. Harold and Patsy were in high 
glee, and could scarcely maintain due decorum during 
service, so that it was quite a relief to them when the 
football began and they could give free vent to their 
feelings by shouting aud running to their heart’s con- 
tent. The match was a great success. Twenty players 
took part on each side, and after a very exciting 
contest, and innumerable ludicrous incidents, Harold’s 
side came off victorious by three goals to two for 
Patsy’s side. The races went off equally well; and 
then, with appetites worthy of Arctic wolves, they all 
returned to the ship to make ready for the dinner. 

The deck house had been decorated under Dr. Lin- 
ton’s direction, until it bore quite a cosy and home- 
like appearance. Two long tables had been laid 
down the centre, and spread with the captain’s best 
naperv, cutlery, and glassware. The saloon chairs 
and lounges were brought up, and everything done to 
make a fine appearance. From the captain to the 
cook everybody donned his best suit, and thus at- 
tired the men of the “ Narwhal” made up a company 
that any captain in the world might have been proud 


234 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


to command, as they took their seats at the table with 
watery mouths. 

The dinner was a veritable triumph. With Christ- 
mas in mind, the far-seeing captain had directed two 
of the finest haunches of reindeer venison to be put 
away, frozen at the time of the hunt, and these, 
roasted to a turn, now adorned the heads of the 
tables. Besides that, he had permitted Harold to raid 
his supplies of canned meats; and delicious duck, 
toothsome turkey, marrowy tongue, and other dain- 
ties rare to the sailors’ palate gave out a fascinating 
fragrance, while sweet corn, green peas, and red toma- 
toes helped to make up a feast which certainly had 
never been surpassed in that latitude. 

The sailors were in the seventh heaven of enjoy- 
ment. The captain and his party were their hosts, 
and they saw to it that no man lacked for anything. 
Harold, as entertainer-in-chief, — for his father would 
have it that this was his dinner, — was never still, 
going about from man to man, and pressing upon 
each what he thought would be liked best. 

At the close of the dinner Captain Marling made a 
short speech, referring to the associations of the day, 
and then the health of their gracious ruler, and that 
of the dear folks at home was remembered with 
many a cheer. 

When they all were quiet once more, the captain 
stood up and announced that the second part of the 
day’s entertainment would now take place. Every- 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


235 


body knew what was coming, for Harold had made 
no secret of the matter. But they were none the less 
eager, notwithstanding. 

Some fifteen minutes previously, Patsv had been 
sent as a messenger to the Esquimaux, bearing an in- 
vitation for the entire party to come over in a body to 
the steamer, where there was something pleasant in 
store for them. They accepted, of course; and now 
the men, women, and children, to the number of fifty, 
at least, were pressing into the brilliantly illuminated 
room, whose radiance almost blinded their eyes, un- 
accustomed to such light. Harold gave them a warm 
welcome, and led them to the after-part of the room, 
where, in the open space, a large object, shrouded 
in canvas had been looking very mysterious; With 
happv, expectant faces they crowded about him, while 
the crew surrounded them with a ring of interested 
spectators. 

Harold clapped his hands as a signal for somebody 
unseen. The canvas cover was suddenly whisked 
away, and, lo ! before the gaze of all stood a veritable 
Christmas tree, covered with all sorts of decorations 
and parcels, and dotted with candles, which the two 
bovs proceeded rapidly to light. There was a vigor- 
ous round of applause from the ship’s company, in 
which the Esquimaux, not understanding anything 
more than that everybody was in high good humor, 
joined by grinning to the full extent of their capa- 
cious mouths. 


236 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


At first sight, and viewed from a little distance, the 
Christmas tree looked natural enough, but on closer 
examination it would be seen to be such a tree as 
probably had never been set up in honor of Santa 
Claus before. There were, of course, no trees to be 
had far North, and Harold would have been compelled 
to do without what seemed to him the chiefest part of 
a Christmas celebration, had not his friend Lewis come 
to his aid. 

“ I’ll make you a Christmas tree, Hal,” said he, 
when Harold had told him his difficulty. 

“How can you do that?” asked Harold, eagerly. 

“ Easy enough,” replied Lewis. “ Make it out of 
reindeers’ horns.” 

Harold could not understand it at first, but Lewis 
soon made his meaning plain. A post was set up as a 
backbone, and to this the branching antlers were 
secured in such a way that when the work was com- 
plete the effect was capital, and the resemblance to a 
tree quite striking. 

Harold was delighted with it. He thought it even 
better than the regulation spruce cone ; and now that 
it was laden with gifts for the people of the very 
region from which old Santa Claus is popularly sup- 
posed to set out on his annual joy-giving journev, it 
seemed to him the finest Christmas tree in his expe- 
rience. The gifts were both numerous and appropri- 
ate. Everybody on board had contributed something. 
There were knives, and hatchets for the men, needles 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


237 


and beads for the women, cakes and sweetmeats for the 
children, and many another thing besides, while piled 
about the foot of the tree were a number of bags, one 
for each household, containing biscuits, sugar, tobacco, 
and salt, delicacies as rare among the Esquimaux as 
are canvas back and terrapin among ordinary folk to 
the South. 

The scene in the deck house that evening was an 
exceedingly happy one, and Harold vowed that he had 
never spent a more delightful Christmas in his life, 
thereby showing very clearly how much more blessed 
it is to give than to receive. Having been well feasted 
with the remains of the dinner, the natives went back 
to their igloos, not much wiser, perhaps, on the subject 
of Christmas, but certainly very much pleased with 
the conduct of their white friends. 

The longest winter, like the longest night, must 
come to an end, and in due time the combination of 
night and winter the “ Narwhal” was experiencing 
passed away, and the sun returned. Each day he 
stayed a little longer in the heavens, and each day the 
effect of his beams became more perceptible. A s the 
days grew longer and warmer, the people of the 
“Narwhal ” grew restive. They were utterly weary 
of their inactive life, and burned to be off on their 
homeward voyage. Not even Captain Marling was 
exempt from this restlessness of spirit, and it was in 
order to pacify it, for a time at least, that he planned 
an exploring expedition which came very near bring- 


238 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ing about a terrible catastrophe. But the story must 
wait for the following chapter. We may, however, 
add just here, that it led them into a peril — grave 
beyoud the others — from which by-and-by they could 
tell of their rescue. A peril too, that added greatly 
to Harold's reasons for giving special thanksgiving 
to God. He had stored up many before; but this 
added one that he never forgot. But we must go 
on to tell of it. 


CHAPTER XX. 


HOME AGAIN. 

T HE northern side of Garry Bay was formed by a 
great stern headland that thrust its barren bulk 
far out into the waters of Boothia Gulf. At the point 
it rose into a peak whose summit commanded an 
immense stretch of land and sea. Growing impatient 
at the slow advance of spring, for whose warm hand 
he must needs wait to unlock the icy fetters that bound 
his ship fast, Captain Marling determined to attempt 
the ascent of this peak to see, if from so lofty an eyrie, 
he could catch a glimpse of open water in the gulf 
beyond, for as far as eye could see from the “ Narwhal” 
the ice was still unbroken. 

The time was the latter part of April. The days 
were already moderate in temperature, — that is, they 
were like ordinary winter days in Halifax, — and there 
ought to be no difficulty in carrying out the captain’s 
scheme. Harold was very glad to hear of it. Nothing 
would suit him better. “ Of course, you’ll let me go, 
father,” said he, confidently. 

“Oh, I suppose so, Hal, if you promise to be a 
very good boy,” answered the captain. 

“ And may Patsy come too, father ? ” asked Harold. 
“He’d like to ever so much.” 


239 


240 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


The captain hesitated a moment, and then, as if 
something had just occurred to his mind, said : “Yes, 
yes, certainly ; you may both come. It will probably 
be our last picnic.” 

They started the following day, the party being 
made up as follows : Captain Marling, Dr. Linton, 
Frank Lewis, both the engineers, Harold, Patsy, and 
half a dozen sailors with Big Alec at their head. 
Then there were three Esquimaux sledges, heavily laden 
with tents, provisions, and firewood, under the charge 
of native drivers, who (Tacked their long whips and 
looked very important as the procession moved away 
from the ship. 

Everybody had to walk of course, and the going 
was none too good, so that the rate of progress was 
not more than about three miles an hour. This, how- 
ever, would take them to the base of the mountain at 
least an hour before the early nightfall, and that would 
allow them sufficient time to put up their camps, and 
make themselves comfortable for the night. For the 
first hour or so, the boys kept well up with the head 
of the party, but after that they began to lag and 
drop back, until presently they brought up the rear, 
and more than once the captain had to call out : 
“ Brace up, boys, brace up ! There’s no time for 
loitering.” 

Harold looked very longingly at the sledges, which 
the well-trained dogs seemed to have no difficulty in 
dragging over the snow that bothered him so much. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


241 


He was too proud to confess himself tired out, and 
would rather have dropped in his tracks than beg for 
a lift. But oh ! how glad he was when his father, 
looking back and noticing his lagging gait, called out: 
“ Getting played out, Hal? Well, you and Patsy 
just jump upon the sleds for a while and rest your- 
selves.” 

The boys did not need to be told twice. The next 
moment they w r ere each upon a sledge, and thus, by 
alternate walking and riding, reached the campground 
in good condition. The tents were pitched in a snug 
little pocket at the mountain’s foot, the fires made, the 
supper cooked, the dogs fed, and then, rolling them- 
selves in furs, the whole party lay down to sleep as only 
tired men can sleep. The long night passed quietly 
away, the only sound that broke the stillness being 
the occasional barking of a dog given to disturbing 
dreams, or the snoring of some heavy sleeper. 

All were awake at dawn, and glad to get the cup 
of steaming hot tea the cook soon had ready for them. 
Then preparations were made for the ascent of the 
mountain. With the exception of one Esquimau, 
who was left in charge of the dogs, and two sailors to 
take care of the tents, the whole party set out. The 
day was perfect — the skv unclouded, the sun in full 
force, and the wind light. 

u We have everything in our favor,” said Captain 
Marling to Lewis, “and, barring accidents, we ought 
to be back here early in the afternoon.” 

Q 


242 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


“ I shouldn’t wonder if we need to keep sharp look- 
out for avalanches/’ answered Lewis. u The sun 
seems to have already melted the snow a good deal 
about here.” 

“That’s so, Lewis,” returned the captain. “We 
must keep our eyes and ears open.” 

They divided into two parties, Captain Marling 
taking the lead of one, and Frank Lewis that of the 
other. Tiie two boys were with Lewis, as the captain 
wished to go on ahead, leaving the others to follow in 
the path marked out by him. For a time, their pro- 
gress was not very difficult, the winter’s winds having 
packed the snow firmly about the mountain’s base, so 
that the foot made little impression upon it. But as 
they climbed higher and higher, the ascent became 
more arduous, and Harold found that it taxed his 
strength severely to keep his place in the party, 
although the pauses for rest were frequent. 

“Sakes alive, Patsy, but this is hard work!” he 
exclaimed, throwing himself down upon a snowbank. 
“ If I wasn’t so bound to get to the top of this old 
mountain, I’d just stay where I am until the others 
came back.” 

“ Sure, I’d be glad enough to stay here, as it is,” 
replied Patsy, who was not at all ambitious for fame 
as a mountaineer, or eager for a fine view. 

“Oh, no! We must go on to the top,” returned 
Harold, rising to his feet. “ Come along with you.” 
And off they started again. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


243 


Toilsome and tiring work it wa3, now creeping 
carefully on hands and knees around a perilous cor- 
ner; now climbing in the same fashion straight up 
some slippery slope; then walking in Indian file 
along a narrow ledge, where a single false step meant 
instant destruction — there was demanded a constant 
exercise of watchfulness and care. Each party of 
climbers was strung out upon a long rope, which they 
fastened around their waists, thus making it impossible 
for one to be carried away unless all went together. 
The two boys were in the centre of the Lewis party, 
and many a serious tumble would they have had but 
for the sustaining rope. Onward and upward they 
toiled, as the morning hours slipped away, often 
halting for a few minutes to take breath, and rest 
their wearied limbs. They found the good of the 
football practice, for it had kept both wind and 
muscle in working order. Indeed, but for it, the 
ascent would probably have had to be abandoned as 
beyond their powers. 

After two hours of climbing, they came to a spot 
where the captain ordered a halt to consider the 
situation. This was far from promising. Before 
them stretched a long, smooth slope of snow, which 
had the rugged mass of the mountain top above, and 
below the dark abyss of a gorge, whose depth there 
was no estimating. The only way onward lay across 
this perilous slope, and Captain Marling hesitated 
before attempting it. When Lewis came up they con- 


244 


UP AMO XG THE ICE-FLOES. 


suited together for some minutes, and at last the cap- 
tain decided to make the venture first with his party, 
leaving Lewis and his to follow, in event of the pass- 
age across proving not so dangerous as it appeared. 
Accordingly, taking with him one of the engineers, 
the most active of the seamen, and the sturdiest of the 
two Esquimaux, and seeing to it that they were 
securely fastened to the rope, Captain Marling at- 
tacked the slope. Each man carried a good ice 
pick, and the leader at the critical places cut holes for 
the feet before proceeding. 

“ Doesn’t it look dangerous, Mr. Lewis ? ” said 
Harold, drawing close to the second mate, for he felt 
very nervous. “ Do you think father will get across 
all right ? ” 

“ To be sure he will,” answered Lewis, cheerfully. 
“ He’ll do it in about ten minutes.” 

Slowly but surely the four men crept onward, until 
they were half way across. Then they rested a 
moment, and the captain, looking back, waved his 
hand triumphantly, and shouted : “ It’s all right ! 
There’s no danger ! ” 

He had better have kept silence. His rash boast 
echoing from peak to peak, through the still air, 
aroused the sleeping demon of the mountain. Far up 
above him, among the scars that seamed the summit, 
there was a sound of rustling that swiftly swelled into 
an ominous roar. The captain heard it, and looked 
upward with a startled glance. Lewis heard it, and 
































































































































































Up Among the Ice Floes. 


Page 245. 






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UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 245 

cried out in an agony of alarm : “ God help them ! 
the avalanche ! ” But there was no time for rescue or 
retreat. With awful speed, a vast mass of snow that 
had been hanging up there ready for a fall leaped 
over the edge and went hurtling down the slope, 
sweeping all before it into the abyss beyond. For an 
instant the air was dense with particles of snow; then it 
cleared, and on the spot where four strong men had the 
moment before been standing, bracing themselves to 
withstand the shock, there was not even a mark of 
their footprints. The mountain had conquered, after 
all! 

Struck dumb with horror, the spectators of this 
terrible catastrophe stood motionless. Lewis was the 
first to recover himself. 

“ All hands to tiie rescue !” he cried. “ There’s not 
a moment to lose.” 

Without a word the others followed him as he set 
olf on the path they had come, Harold feeling as 
though it were all some dreadful dream from which 
in time he must awaken. Lewis’ keen eye had caught 
sight of a ledge leading down into the gorge where 
Captain Marling and his men had been hurled. If 
they could only get to them they might yet be able to 
save them. The ledge fulfilled its promise, and hast- 
ening down as rapidly as they dared, they reached the 
upper end of the gorge. To Lewis’ delight this 
gorge proved not to be so deep as it seemed from 
above, and clambering along over the tumbled snow 


246 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


that filled it half full, they came at length to the very 
spot where the avalanche, bearing its human prey, bad 
taken its mad plunge. There was no doubt about the 
place, for one of the ice picks projected through the 
snow like a signal of distress. 

They had no spades, but the snow was loose, and at 
it they went with their hands, working for dear life. 
Presently a glad shout from Lewis announced that 
something had been found. It was a foot. Digging 
away furiously, the whole body was soon uncovered, 
and behold it was the seaman who had brought up 
the rear. The rope was still attached to him. He 
was insensible, but breathing. 

"Hurrah!” cried Lewis. “We’ll have them all 
soon.” 

The digging went on with redoubled vigor. The 
engineer, the Esquimau, and lastly Captain Marling 
were disinterred. All were unconscious, but happily 
none were dead. The shock of the avalanche, the 
fall over the cliff, and then the smothering plunge into 
the deep snow had driven them into insensibility; but, 
strange to say, beyond a few scratches in the face, none 
seemed to have received any other injury. 

Under Dr. Linton’s direction, vigorous measures 
were taken to restore the rescued ones. These were 
speedily successful. One by one they regained con- 
sciousness, and then to the delight of all it was dis- 
covered that not a bone had been broken or serious 
hurt suffered. 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


247 


“Let us thank God for our most wonderful escape,” 
said Captain Marling, fervently, when he had quite re- 
covered himself. “We will not risk our lives in an- 
other attempt, but return to the camp at once.” 

During all this time of harrowing uncertainty 
Harold had shown remarkable self-control. After 
the first cry of horror, not a sound escaped his lips ; 
but no one had dug into the snow with more desperate 
energy, and it was his hands that first touched his 
father’s form. Now that the agony was over, the 
natural reaction followed, and his suppressed feelings 
found relief in a flood of tears as his father hugged 
him to his heart. 

So rejoiced were all at the wonderful escape of Cap- 
tain Marling and his companions, that there was no 
room for regret at the mountain being left unsealed. 
Returning at once to the camp, they rested there for 
the night, and the following day made their way back 
to the “ Narwhal ” without farther mishap. 

There was still a month of waiting before them, 
which they found very hard to endure patiently ere 
the glad cry of “open water in sight” came down 
from the crow’s nest, and it was a fortnight after that 
before the open water made its way into the “ Nar- 
whal’s” snug harbor. Then the fervid Arctic summer 
seemed to come with a rush. The ice broke up into 
floes as the warm wind blew upon it, the snow van- 
ished from the hillsides before the hot rays of the 
sun, and the great gulf that had so lately been sleep- 


248 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


ing beneath its icy coverlet awoke into waves that 
danced and sparkled merrily in the sunshine, as 
though they were challenging the noble vessel which, 
like them, had been for months asleep, to arouse her- 
self and prepare for action. 

The challenge was promptly accepted. The “Nar- 
whal” was ready. Nothing remained to be done. 
The deck house had been cleared away, the topmasts 
sent up, the engines oiled and burnished, and so on a 
beautiful morning in June, amid the joyful cheers of 
the crew, the sturdy steamer moved, smoothly out into 
the broad waters of the gulf, and the homeward jour- 
ney was begun. 

Harold stood beside his father on the bridge, his 
face beaming with joy. 

“ You look as though you were glad to be getting 
back home, Hal,” said the captain, laying his hand 
upon his shoulder. 

“I am indeed, father. I think we’ve had a 
splendid time of it up here, but I’ll be so glad to see 
dear old Halifax again,” answered Harold. 

“You wouldn’t care to change places with one of 
those Esquimaux, then?” inquired the captain, with 
a smile. 

“ Not by a long chalk,” responded Harold, promptly. 
“One winter in the ice is all well enough; but to 
spend one’s whole life here ! Ugh ! it would soon be 
the death of me.” 

Favored by fair weather the “Narwhal” made 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


249 


good progress up the Gulf to Prince Regent’s Sound, 
thence passing through Lancaster Sound and out upon 
the vast expanse of Baffin’s Bay, where, getting into 
the sweep of the great Arctic current setting strongly 
southward, she sped past Davis’ Strait to the Atlantic 
Ocean. The passage was marked by little incident. 
The constant presence of floe and berg rendered a 
careful lookout from the crow’s nest always necessary, 
but every danger of this kind was successfully 
avoided, and by the latter part of August the steamer, 
having halted at Nachvak to land Lane, the inter- 
preter, was gliding past the forbidding coast of New- 
foundland at a rate that three days later brought her 
into Halifax harbor. 

Great was the interest her return created, and Cap- 
tain Marling found himself quite a lion in nautical 
circles because of his remarkable voyage. Harold 
too came in for an embarrassing amount of attention, 
his former playmates looking upon him as a hero of 
the first rank. As for Patsy, when, arrayed in brand 
new clothes, and with a pocket full of money, he 
appeared like a vision in the midst of the squalid 
surroundings from which he had fled with such happy 
results, his people utterly failed to recognize him, and 
he had some difficulty in persuading them that this 
stout, strong, brown-faced lad who bore himself so 
well was the lean, shambling, unkempt creature that 
they had known as Patsy Kehoe. 

When the results of the voyage came to be ascer- 


250 


UP AMONG THE ICE-FLOES. 


tained, Captain Marling lmd no cause to regret his 
venture. The well-stored tanks yielded a rich return, 
and after dividing a handsome sum among the ship’s 
company, everybody coming in for a share, the balance 
remaining to his credit was so considerable, that he was 
enabled to carry out his design of giving up the sea, 
and settling down to a life on drv land for the 
remainder of his days, finding congenial employment 
in the owning and management of ships. 

As regards Harold, however, the result of the 
voyage was precisely the opposite. It determined his 
future by making it clear beyond all question that the 
sea was his vocation. Accompanied by Patsy, who 
was ever to him what old Peter Strum had been to his 
father, he circumnavigated the globe in the captain's 
vessels, and in due time rose by steady gradations until 
at length he trod the quarter deck the proud com- 
mander of his own ship. 

But far and wide as he sailed, and many and mar- 
velous as were his adventures, wherever asked what 
was the most momentous and interesting experience of 
his life, he always answered that it was the voyage he 
took in the good steamer “ Narwhal/’ up among the 
Arctic ice-floes. 


THE END. 

























































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